God's Plan

1. I thought I should share this to encourage someone.

   
   Some things are beyond planning.
   And life doesn't always turn out as planned.
   You don't plan for a broken heart.
   You don't plan for a failed business venture.
   You don't plan for an adulterous husband
   or a wife who wants you out of her life.
   You don't plan for an autistic child.
   You don't plan for spinsterhood.
   You don't plan for a lump in your breast.
   
   You plan to be young forever.
   You plan to climb the corporate ladder.
   You plan to be rich and powerful.
   You plan to be acclaimed and successful.
   You plan to conquer the universe.
   You plan to fall in love - and be loved forever.
   
   You don't plan to be sad.
   You don't plan to be hurt.
   You don't plan to be broke.
   You don't plan to be betrayed.
   You don't plan to be alone in this world.
   You plan to be happy. You don't plan to be shattered.
   Sometimes if you work hard enough, you can get what you want.
   
   But MOST times, what you want and what you get
   are two different things.
   
   We, mortals, plan. But so does God in the heavens.
   Sometimes, it is difficult to understand God's plans especially
   when His plans are not in consonance with ours.
   
   Often, when God sends us crisis, we turn to Him in anger.
   True, we cannot choose the cross that God wishes us to carry,
   but we can carry that cross with courage knowing that God will
   never abandon us nor send something we cannot cope with.
   
   Sometimes, God breaks our spirit to save our soul.
   Sometimes, He breaks our heart to make us whole.
   Sometimes, God allows pain so we can be stronger.
   Sometimes, God sends us failure so we can be humble.
   Sometimes, God allows illness so we can take better care of
   ourselves. Sometimes, God takes everything away from us
   so we can learn the value of everything He gave us.
   
   Make plans, but understand that we live by God's grace.
   
   ~Author Unknown~

WHAT IF ---------------

I was just pondering about this topic this morning and I will appreciate some contribution from readers.

What if God decides not to give you your heart desire? Will that stop you from worshipping Him or serving Him? Sometimes we base our service or worship to God on what He can do for us and not because of who He is.

Studying the lives of the children of Israel, I noticed a pattern in their lifestyles, they worship God when everything seems rosy then forget him as they go along only to complains or make demands on God when things look bleak.

Look back in the Old Testament and see how God dealt with the Children of Israel, we discover that the Lord always considered their complaints as an act of unbelief directed toward Him. When they complained about their circumstances, their type of food, and even at Moses, God was displeased because they weren’t thankful for what He had provided them. He was disappointed that they refused to trust in Him to provide, protect, and direct the order of their lives. “Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp” (Numbers 11:1).

Then the next thing they did when they were fully settled in the Promised Land was to ask for a King. God who led them through the wilderness and who also knew that Samuel the prophet’s sons were not going to follow after Him as their father did already had a plan but they never allowed him to bring those plans to fruition because of their impatience. What if He had a better plan for them than giving them an earthly king? Samuel warned them what the king will do to them and their children but they still insisted on an earthly king not even thinking that they are rejecting the God, they wanted so badly to be like other countries. 1 Sam: 8