Are Your Plans God’s Plans?
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. – I Corinthians 6:19-20
I’ve been doing a lot of planning and preparing lately regarding a lot of new things that I believe are God’s plans for my life. Of course, with my Type A personality, I always must ask God to slam “doors” in my face if my plans aren’t in line with His plans because I’m good at making up “plans”! After all, according to the Bible my life is not my own, right? The verse above has always been a convicting one to me, especially when I question the plans God has for me. As you read the passage above, think to yourselves whether or not you are living out your own will or God’s in your life. And if you really want to see the “you are not your own” part lived out, come with me to the book of Hosea!
Poor Hosea. That is my first thought when reading about this man. But should I really be saying that? Hosea was, after all, living out his life in radical obedience to God, reaping lots of rewards in heaven for his obedience. Hmmm….do you think he knew the passage of Matthew 6:19-21?
Hosea was told by God to take a “wife of harlotry” in Gomer (Ho 1:2). Why? So his marriage and children could be a “picture” of Israel and Judah’s unfaithfulness to God. I am totally humbled by Hosea’s obedience to God.(Ho 1:3). Do you think Hosea’s goal in life was to marry a prostitute who would humiliate him? Scripture doesn’t always depict the human element of its characters in much detail and I’m learning to try to put myself in their places more to get the full impact of what is going on. I would bet that although obedient, being an emotional human being, Hosea was torn up inside when he heard God’s plan for him.
The bottom line is this. Being in God’s will is the only place we should want to be, even if we don’t always understand it. I like to think of God’s view of our lives as looking down from an airplane at the earth 20,000 feet below. He can see everything – much more than I can see from the ground! Trust and obey for there’s no other way. Sorry, I couldn’t resist! That old hymn just popped into my mind.
Seriously, the kind of radical obedience we see in Hosea requires a whole lot of trust and and a whole lot of self-sacrifice. Radical obedience may even result in some really fun and incredible works for God once we overcome the fear of stepping outside of our comfort zones. Are you up for the challenge? Ask God today where He would have you to go. You might just be surprised at His answer.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Great post Janna, bless you.
Janna,
You know, last Saturday, I made a promise to the Lord. To fulfill this promise will be a humbling, humiliating prospect for me.
You post is a letter from God just to me. I must follow through and today. Thank you for this letter from Him.
This was wonderful Janna. I have been struggling with “plans” lately too. The comfort is knowing that He will only allow into my life those things He will work together for my good. I have the choice to abandon my “plans” and surrender to His will.
Thank you for this.
Great post, Janna. I struggle with plans all the time and pray to really KNOW if I’m on the wrong path.
To be honest with you, Janna – I am afraid to ask for His will and plans. I am struggling with that right now–what should be my next step?
Thank you so much for the reminder that God is God and he will do whatever is necessary to follow His plan.
Be blessed today and always.
Too true. I have never sat and read Hosea. I think that will be my next step in my bible reading plan (i’ve always had a problem with reading the Old Testament. I don’t know why. I’m getting back into it though.) I’ve posted about this same thought. Though not nearly as eloquently. Thanks for the post and the thought provoking subject matter.
Wonderful thought-provoking post! Thanks for the challenge of staying right in His will. There is a song it reminds me of…it’s Avalon’s “I don’t want to go somewhere”
I don’t want to go somewhere
If I know that You’re not there,
‘Cause I know that me without You is a lie.
And I don’t want to walk that road,
Be a million miles from home,
Cause my heart needs to be where You are.
So I don’t want to go.
The part that got to me years ago was the “know that me without You (Him) is a lie!” I am nothing without Him, so doing things that aren’t in His will are exactly that – a lie. Trust God and leave all the consequences to Him – our former pastor said that and I firmly believe in it.
Thanks again for the challenge! We all need it.
Janna,
We were so on the same wave length yesterday! I used that same verse from Proverbs in my post about trusting in God because He holds the future. I praise Him for giving me the grace to remain obedient and focused on Him.
Sara