The Lord will work out his plans for your life

I sat down in the basement waiting for the washing machine to finish its cycle a few nights ago.  I thought then, I could use this “down time” to get into the WORD.  I find lately I have been so busy, that my time in it has grown less and less.  I felt hungry for this bread of life, and so I sat at the table to have a bite or two.

I read John and Isaiah because I have been teaching on John at Kidz Club and I wanted to refresh myself on chapter 1.  Once again, I read about John the Baptist.  It struck me that he knew and lived out the purpose of his life.  He knew he was born to be the forerunner of Jesus, to declare to the people that there is One coming that is Greater than him.  He knew he was a witness to the Son of God, the Christ; the Messiah.  His purpose was prophesied by Isaiah hundreds of years before he was born, and he didn’t stray away from his calling. 

All of that just had my mind whirling around and around with questions.  What is my purpose? What am I born to do?  Have I been living it out?  Yes, I laid in my bed asking God those questions as sleep overcame me.  As dawn came about, I still considered John the Baptist.  Do you know that even from his mother’s womb, John was witnessing of the Christ child?  The bible tells it like this in Luke 1:39-45 (NIV):

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

I wanted that same assurance. I want even now to know, but God’s answer to me was not what I had expected, but it certainly gave me the Peace I needed.  In a devotional the words from the verse pierced through the questions and offered me hope and comfort instantly.  He said,

“The Lord will work out his plans for my life – for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.” Psalm 138:8.

I don’t know what the Psalmist was feeling when he wrote this or even what he was thinking.  I do know that his words were an answer to my questions.  I didn’t have to know or work out the plans for my life. That job was not even mine, it was God’s.  I am moved to tears because I realize that I was once again trying to take the reins when I had said I would give them to Him.  My family knows I am a little controlling, but this was so different from managing the family gatherings.  He is the One in control, so much so, that He only tells me things in part and not the whole.  My response is to trust Him, and in that trust obey Him (even when the outcome is unknown).  Thank God for his loving correction. Thank God for his promise to work things out, to not abandon me, and for faithfully loving me. 

Be encouraged my friend, God will work out his plans for you also. Let your mind rest on these words and dwell in the covenant of His love and peace.