God Has a Right to Change Our Plans
(May 10, 2026)
How well do you deal with change? When something happens to alter your plans,
what happens inside you? Outwardly, we may appear calm because we don’t
want to seem like a selfish brat, but do we throw a temper tantrum in front of
God on the inside? Remember, He knows us. “Nothing is hidden from Him to
Whom we must give account” (Hebrews 5:13).
I must confess that at times I am pretty good at hiding my true feelings, other
times, not so much. But in any case, it matters not to my Lord because He sees all.
In the end, everything boils down to an issue of the heart, right?
I remember when Olive and I were first married and things went wrong I would
get very angry. I would sputter and complain to the Lord, until one day He
brought me up short. He reminded me of the Israelites in their desert wanderings;
how they complained about everything instead of taking their needs to Him. One
time they grumbled so much and so loudly that God sent poisonous snakes
among them.
It has been a life-long learning process for God to teach me, then consistently
remind me that He is God and I am not. He has the right to do whatever He
wants. He has the right to direct my life and to change my plans, especially when I
didn’t ask Him in the first place.
It’s one thing to tolerate changes in our plans; it is quite another to embrace our
present circumstances as God’s will for us and then thank Him.
2 Thessalonians 5:13 is God’s remedy for our spiritual tantrums, lack of patience
and lack of submission. Paul says, “…pray continually, give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” When we balk at the
interruptions and changes in our lives, we are actually rebelling against God’s will
for us. Friends, let’s not do that!
Instead, let us pray continually, and give thanks to our loving God for the
circumstances in which we find ourselves. Let us surrender our will to His!