WEEK TWO: GOD’S BEST PLAN
In the 1980s, there was a television action/drama series called the A-Team. One of the main characters from the show was the leader of the team named John “Hannibal” Smith. Throughout the series he would consistently be shown puffing on a cigar and saying, “I love it when a plan comes together.” Don’t we all? None of us wants to make a plan and then have it fall through or fail. We all want our plans to “come together.” But what about the plans God has for our lives? Are we just as willing to see those plans come together as we are to see our own plans succeed?
God has a plan for every one of us. He wants nothing more than for our lives to succeed. In Jeremiah chapter 29 verse 11 of the Bible, it tells us, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” (NLT) That promise God was making to the prophet Jeremiah (while he was in Babylonian captivity) still rings true for us today, and we love that promise. However, too often we contextualize that promise to only certain parts of our life.
We are good with God fulfilling that promise in our job or in our ministry. We love it when God comes through with a raise, a promotion, or success in one or our endeavors. But what about other parts of our lives? What about in our relationships? What about in the unseen private parts of our lives?
God’s plan for our lives includes all aspects. He wants our relationships to succeed just as much as he wants us to succeed in our work. His Word is pretty clear on this. It gives us straightforward instructions on how we are to conduct ourselves in relationships with the opposite sex. It instructs us to keep ourselves virtuous in dating relationships, encouraging us not to fall prey to the tricks of the enemy who lures people into doing things that are contrary to God’s best plan for us. It’s not always easy to do this and sometimes we mess it up. When that happens, seek God’s forgiveness and give that relationship back to him. Start fresh, keeping that relationship pure and patient. Create good boundaries, find accountability, and don’t put yourself in situations where you are tempted to compromise.
God wants his best plan to work out in every aspect of your life. Let’s commit ourselves to working God’s best plan for our lives so we can see that plan “come together.”