You Had Plans?

 

Alyssa and I often compare ourselves to Elsa and Anna from Frozen. Our personalities are surprisingly similar to the characters', with two main exceptions. She doesn’t like chocolate, and the cold and snow do bother me. Sure, snow is pretty. But it can also cause all kinds of problems. As has been the case for many, being trapped by snow and ice has been the essence of my week.

I had plans for this week. I was going to take Mom shopping on Monday, and I had small group to attend on Thursday. I was going to start going through my dresser drawers, organizing and getting rid of things. At work, I had a mailing sitting on my desk that I was going to finish putting together and send out.

But none of my plans happened. I instead spent most of my week working remotely at Mom and Dad’s house bundled up by the fireplace. I love my family dearly and enjoy spending time with them, but I would rather do so out of choice rather than necessity. I don’t like to feel trapped or that I don’t have control over the things happening in my life. I want to know what is going to happen ahead of time so I can be prepared.

As frustrating as this week has been, it is nothing compared to the last year my family has walked through. This last year has been anything but planned and expected. From the moment Alyssa called me to let me know they were taking Mom to the hospital with chest pain, everything changed. Plans went out the window. Every day since has been different than any of us would have expected a year ago.

As much as we learn about the turmoil of history and regularly experience the unexpected fluctuations of life, you would think we would be less surprised by the chaos that life can bring. As Christians, we have the added knowledge that we live in a fallen and broken world. But almost every time, we are taken aback and sent into a tailspin attempting to figure out how to handle the unexpected.

But God is not surprised.

This seems like such a simple truth, but it is one I need to be reminded of often. God does not get flustered by ruined plans because His plans are already laid out, and He sees everything that has, is, and will happen. I like how Casting Crowns puts it in their song Already There:

“From where You're standing
Lord, You see a grand design
That You imagined
When You breathed me into life
And all the chaos
Comes together in Your hands
Like a masterpiece
Of Your picture-perfect plan

When I'm lost in the mystery
To You my future is a memory
Cause You're already there
Standing at the end of my life
Waiting on the other side.”

God knows what this next week, this next year, and the rest of my life will look like. He knows all the ups and downs I will walk through. But not only does He know what will happen; it is a part of His plan, the great story He is writing with history.

I don’t see any purpose behind keeping us trapped in the house all week. I don’t see the purpose of God allowing Mom to have both a heart attack and a stroke. But I know God does. So moment by moment, I am doing my best to hold loosely the plans I make and to rest in God’s sovereignty.

--Concetta Swann