If life has taught any of us anything, it’s that things don’t always go according to plan. Take it from parents who intended to have only three children but get surprised by an additional two, or young men and women who plan on pursuing a particular career and then end up doing something completely different. Or even last year which didn’t go how anyone had planned it would.
It’s clear that altered plans are part of life. But that doesn’t change the fact that for some of us, having our plans changed can be devastating.
They can cause frustration, discouragement and even depression. But as Christians, instead of being instantly disheartened by change, we should pause and ask God what He is saying about it.
What is God Saying?
In every situation, God is saying something. So you can trust that even in the midst of the chaos of ruined plans, He is speaking. All you need to do is open your ears and listen to what He is saying.
As you open your heart and mind to hear His voice, you may just hear the Lord telling you that you are actually on the right track. Sometimes a change of plan is actually God’s way of showing you that you were going in the wrong direction.
It could have been that what you had planned for yourself was not what God had planned for you. Maybe you wanted to be a musician but God planned for you to be an artist. Or perhaps you planned to have a small family but God desired for you to have a large one.
So if it is God who has altered your plans, instead of fighting against the change, you need to have the humility and courage to embrace it.
Embrace the Change
Sometimes it can be hard to acknowledge that change can be brought about by God Himself.
As much as we profess that God’s will for us is good, sometimes, because of our limited understanding and our stubborn need to be in control, we can try to fight that will. It’s even worse when we think that what we had in mind for ourselves was better.
But one thing we need to understand as Christians is that at no time in our lives does God mean us harm. God is good, He is full of mercy and loving-kindness, and we have a solid promise from Him that His plans for us are good. (Jeremiah 29:11)
If we truly believe that, then we need to live like we do. And that means being able to surrender and accept His will. It means not just grudgingly accepting the change He brings but openly and joyfully embracing it.
When you do this, you will be able to see the change through new eyes. Instead of it being a hindrance, you’ll begin to see the change of plan as a beautiful display of God’s goodness and grace.
But What If it’s Not God?
However, it is important to consider that just as a change of plan could have been God guiding you out of a particular dream, it could also have been the Enemy steering you away from your destiny. But the question is how can you know the difference?
One of the ways you can know if you are walking in God’s will is if you are at peace. The Enemy’s path tends to be full of strife, struggle and dissatisfaction. However, there are times when you can be filled with a holy dissatisfaction, a sense that you should be doing something else or be somewhere else. That could, again, be God steering you towards His plan for you.
But in order to tell the difference you need to seek the Lord’s counsel through prayer and by reading the Bible. As you do this, God will reveal whether you are walking in His will or the Enemy’s.
If you are walking in God’s plan you can rest assured that you’re on the right path. But if you’re not, don’t panic. It’s not too late to change course.
It’s Not Too Late to Change Course
If you realise that the Enemy has diverted your plans, don’t worry. It’s not too late to change direction. Regardless of how many years have passed or how long you’ve been in that situation, you can cancel the Enemy’s plans for you and change course.
If you know in your heart that you are not where God wants you to be, be bold and courageous enough to turn and go in the other direction (Joshua 1:9), even if it means changing your career after five years or going to university after ten.
No matter how daunting or impossible walking in a new direction may seem, don’t be afraid. Be confident in the knowledge that God has gone before you and prepared the way for you.
The Authority to Change and Ability to Accept
One thing we need to come to accept is that we can plan as much as we want, but sometimes things just won’t go according to plan. And that’s okay. If we realise our plans have been disrupted by the Enemy, we have the God given authority to deny his plan for our lives and walk in God’s path for us. (Luke 10:19)
And if our plans have been changed by God, then we can be at peace knowing that He is leading us in the greatest and most purposeful path.
It may be scary having to let go of your original plan. But our God knows how to make old things new, turn sinners to saints and bring dead things to life again. If He can do that, then He can help you embrace the change and settle into new plans.
