I Blew It!Chikamu

Day 2: “I Know Where I’m Going and How to Get There.”

On day 2 we’re taking a look at a place most of us have been before: following our own plans instead of the Lord’s.

We think we know exactly where our lives should go, and we ask God’s blessing to help us get there smoothly and easily. We may not have even asked Him to show us His will, and if He had, we might have argued with Him. We draw wrong conclusions about the destination, and we often have misperceptions about the path He wants us to walk.

We can make this mistake in any area of life: marriage, parenting, work, friendships, finances, and ministry (to name a few). We may have been dating someone for years and have assumed he or she is the right person to marry, but we haven’t asked God for direction.

But there might be a deeper issue: Secretly, we may not want God to show us His path. We have it all planned out in our minds, and we aren’t going to let anybody—even God—get in our way.

We aren’t alone in making this mistake. God gave Abraham a glowing promise: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you” (Genesis 12:2). Abraham accepted God’s promise, but when his expectations weren’t fulfilled in his time frame, Abraham carried out his own plans to have children. He slept with his wife’s servant, Hagar, in an attempt to arrive at that destination in a hurry. By this time, Abraham and Sarah were old—far past the age to have children. He assumed that if God’s plan was for him to be the father of many nations, then he’d better start trying to make it happen. He accepted God’s destination but tried to forge his own path.

Abraham’s example of impatience and wrong assumptions isn’t an isolated case. I’ve done it, and you’ve probably done it too. We believe God has called us to fulfill a certain role or achieve a particular goal, but we make the assumption that we know how it’s going to happen. These assumptions may be prompted by ignorance or pride. Whatever the cause, they lead us into big trouble. Subtly and gradually, we assume that God has to play by our rules. When times get tough and our hopes are delayed or shattered, we get mad. We’re either angry with God for letting us down, or we’re mad at ourselves for being such a loser. Neither of these conclusions leads us to wisdom, joy, and strength.

We plot, plan, strategize, and scheme to make our paths straight. But self-absorption only makes them more crooked, dark, and confusing. Trusting God with all your heart begins with a radical but foundational belief that His plan is better than your plan.

> His plan for relationships is better than your plan.

> His plan for your calling is better than your plan.

> His plan for family is better than your plan.

> His plan for your finances is better than your plan.

> His plan for your future is better than your plan.

To stay on God’s path, all we need to do is ask, listen, and obey.