Where's My Crystal Ball?

Do you ever wish that you had a crystal ball that would allow you to see into the future? I know that I do. I’m a planner, and I hate “not knowing” what’s coming next. I like to be prepared. I don’t like surprises. But, unfortunately, life doesn’t come with a crystal ball. We aren’t given the whole blueprint at the beginning of the process. Instead, like a puzzle being slowly put together, we are given one piece at a time.

I remember, as a college student, spending hours of frustrated prayer asking God to please show me His plan for my life. And, I wasn’t just asking about what I should do next week or next semester. I wanted to know His long term plans for my career and my family – my whole future. I knew what I had planned, and I was honestly afraid that His plan wouldn’t line up very well with my plan. Somewhere along the way, I had gotten the idea that God’s plan would be hard and that it wouldn’t be fun.

As I’ve grown older and (hopefully) more mature, I’ve come to understand that God’s plan for my life is a good plan – it’s the best plan – it’s the plan that will lead me into joy and fulfillment and peace and contentment – IF (and that’s a big if) I can learn to submit to it – to give up control – to stop fighting against it. I’m also learning that God’s plan and my plan don’t have to be in opposition to each other. In fact, they should line up quite nicely together if I’m spending time with Him on a regular basis. Psalms 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

In spite of all of that, sometimes I still feel like that college girl who is stomping her feet and yelling at God and asking Him to just show me. As I sit here reflecting on the past year, I know that next year will be a year of change and transition for my family. Because of some of the events that have already been set into motion, I know that there will be some big challenges ahead of us. But, I also know that there will be some big opportunities. I have so many questions, and I’d really love to have some concrete answers.

But, here’s the thing – If God did give me the answers to my questions right now, what would I do with that information? Would I file it away in the back of my mind and wait on God to work, or would I start planning for what I needed to do to make those things happen? What if I didn’t like all of the answers? Would I walk out the plan anyway, or would I try to figure out a way to change the parts that I didn’t like? Either way, I can guarantee you that at some point I would try to take over and I would totally screw it up.

So, my prayer for the New Year is that I would learn to let go of control and to follow even when I’m not quite sure where I’m going – to trust in the Father who is leading me and to find contentment in the journey rather than straining to see what lies up ahead. Because, I know that He has good plans for me – plans to prosper me and not to harm me – plans to give me hope and a future – and, really, that knowledge should be enough – no more details required.

“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