God’s Plans

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

A cloud of grief settled over my family after the death of my Aunt Jane. Their inability to deal with anything else meant my dreams of beginning university that year were floundering. I was determined to claim promises like Jeremiah 29:11 about God’s irrevocable plans for my life. Meanwhile, my friends moved on to university, learned a trade, or got married. I felt more and more different and lonely as the year went by.

People tried to convince my parents that educating a child with such a disability as mine was a waste of time. Many families were happy to give their disabled daughters to older men who wanted them to produce children. It wasn’t likely any of my peers would choose a disabled wife who would be dependent on their care. I would have to provide for my own future if I were to survive.

Like Joseph, who had been thrown into a dark pit, I needed faith to keep going, to believe that my path would brighten up for good and a day of rejoicing would come. I prayed for Joseph’s grace and wisdom to be able to say: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20).

Then I learned that ladies from my alma mater had instituted a prize for the female student with the best average on the previous year’s A-level exams. I won the award which covered the cost of repairs for my tricycle. The tricycle was essential to my mobility, especially if I wanted to continue my education at a school in the city. Next, the women instituted a fundraising campaign for my education and this opened doors to radio and television interviews. This campaign also helped change the narrative that children with disabilities were a curse and could have no aspirations. God knew all along the plans he had for me to give me a hope and a future.

Reflection

What aspects of your future have you worried? Have you replaced dreams with despair and lost hope? Read Proverbs 3:5-6 again and prayerfully ask God to give you the courage to trust him with your future instead of trusting your own plans.