For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)
This is the last week of the church year. Next week we begin Advent. As you think back to the past year, did you accomplish the things you hoped to accomplish?
For many of us, this past year did not go as expected. Some of us got distracted. We lost sight of what was most important. We made poor choices with our time and money. And now the consequences have come to bear.
Some of us have suffered from the poor choices of others. We were sinned against. Maybe it was an unfaithful spouse, a dishonest co-worker, or a drunk driver.
Then there were life interruptions. These are things we can’t fully explain. It might have been the loss of a loved one or the loss of a job. Maybe you experienced an issue with a child or received an unfavorable diagnosis from a doctor.
Here is something I know – your year did not go as planned. There were unexpected challenges and obstacles. That is what happens in life. You can’t say that rarely do things go as planned. Things NEVER go as planned!
So what do we do when things don’t work out? How do we respond when we find ourselves in a place we never expected to be? We will be talking about that this week.
There is the cliche that we are to hope for the best, but plan for the worst. But in my time as a pastor, I find that people do the exact opposite. We expect the worst, and plan for the best. We fear and fret about the future. But we don’t do what is necessary.
As people of God, we can live optimistically. But optimism for the sake of optimism is a dangerous thing. There are some who live with such an eternal optimism that they bury their head in the sand and fail to deal with reality.
Maybe you are spending more than you are making. Just being optimistic that it will all work out does not work when the bill collectors come or when your house is being foreclosed upon.
We must move beyond faith in faith. We put our faith in God. Faith is not optimism alone, but a willingness to follow and obey wherever God may lead us. Faith is more than doing nothing. It is about taking action in the most difficult of circumstances, seeking to follow God’s lead, trusting he will guide us.
Reflection
- What were the unexpected challenges you faced this year?
- How did God help you respond to those challenges?
Prayer
Lord, my life has not gone as planned. But I know that you have the plans. You have the future. Give me faith that looks to follow your lead, wherever you may lead me. Give me the courage to walk faithfully through the valleys of life. Amen.
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