When God Messes Up Your Plans
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” - which means, “God with us.” When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25)
Have you ever thought how the first Christmas messed up everyone’s plans? It messed up King Herod’s plan because he wanted to be king of the Jews and here was a Messiah arriving who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It messed up the shepherd’s plan because they were planning on another quiet night with the sheep. It messed up the religious leader’s plans because they were expecting a political Messiah who would come and set them free from Roman captivity and Jesus came along and taught things like, “Turn the other cheek,” and “Go the second mile,” and “Love your enemies.” But most of all, it messed up Mary and Joseph’s plans. Mary and Joseph were just a young couple, probably teenagers and all they wanted to do was get married and have “little Marys” and “little Josephs.” During their engagement period God all of sudden comes along and says, “I’m changing your plans a bit.” And the angel said to Mary and Joseph, “Mary, three things are going to happen. One, you’re going to get pregnant before your wedding day. Two, Joseph is not going to be the father. It’s going to be a virgin birth, unlike anything that has ever happened before.” And three, “The baby is going to be God.” That messed up their plans - by more than just a little. They weren’t at all expecting that to happen.
Some of you may have had your plans messed up this past year. I heard about a woman in New York who took her son to visit Santa Claus and sit on his lap in the mall. When she got there she discovered that Santa Claus was her ex-husband who was not paying the child support he had agreed to pay. Three hours later she came back with a court injunction and slapped it on him while he was waiting for the next kid in line to climb up on his lap. Suddenly he wasn’t going, “Ho, Ho, Ho” any longer. He hadn’t planned on that.
Our plans can get messed up in a number of ways. Sometimes it’s our own sin or ineptness that messes up our plans. Sometimes it’s others who mess up our plans. But sometimes God providentially, sovereignly changes circumstances around because He has a different plan in mind. That’s what happened at the first Christmas over 2000 years ago. When God intervenes with His plan, it can often leave a person in a state of confusion wondering what the future is going to bring. If you’ve experienced a sudden change in your circumstances here are some things to consider.
God May Be Saying “I’m Trying To Get Your Attention.” Joseph was understandably in a state of confusion when he found out about Mary’s pregnancy. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to envision the range of confusing and frustrating emotions he must have felt. God had to supernaturally intervene with an angel to get his attention off of his emotions and on the plan of God. Essentially the angel was saying, “Joseph, listen to me. God has a plan in this and wants you to cooperate and not do anything rash, which will get in the way of what He has ordained.” When circumstances suddenly change in unexpected ways, it’s normal for a person to be frustrated and angry. But the emotions can sometimes become barriers to understanding what God may be saying. We can be so focused on listening to ourselves that we don’t hear His voice.
In Psalm 81:8 God says, “O I wish my people would just listen to me.” The problem many of us have when it comes to listening to God is we have Spiritual ADD. It’s not that He isn’t speaking. It’s just that we are so often distracted by other voices that we don’t hear what He is saying. The way God often gets our attention is to rearrange our circumstances so that have we start to listen again.
God May Be Saying, “I’ve Got a Better Plan.” Mary and Joseph had dreams and plans for their future together, but God had a different plan for them. His plan for their life was far greater and more wonderful than anything they could have pondered. The plans you’ve made for your future may be well thought-out and carefully contemplated. You may have already spent a long time preparing for your plan. There may have been a great amount of energy and resources already expended to accomplish your plan. But if God intervenes and changes your plan, you can be assured that what He has prepared for you will be far better than what you have prepared for yourself. Jer. 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Rest assured that God’s plans for you will be more rewarding than anything you may have dreamed up for yourself. His plans will fill your life with a greater significance and satisfaction than you can imagine.
God May Be Saying “I Want You To Trust Me” Can you imagine the faith that it took for Joseph to do what he had to do? If your fiancé came to you one day and said, “Honey, I’m pregnant - and by the way, it’s God’s fault.” Would you believe it? Can you imagine the faith Mary had to have when she realized that of all the women in the entire world, God chose to use her as the instrument by which He would come into the world? God’s plan was so different from their plan for their life that all they could do was trust. But that was ok. Because the Bible says there’s only one way to please God. It’s not by religion. It’s not by ritual. It’s not by ceremony. It’s not by living according to a long list of regulations. It’s to trust God and live by faith not sight. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” God wants you to learn to trust Him – in small things and large.
If your plans have been messed up this year, have you considered that God may be trying to get your attention? He may be intervening in your life with new and difficult circumstances to help deepen your trust in Him. Whatever course your life is currently taking you can know this: God does have a personal plan for you. He will never leave or abandon you. He wants you trust Him as you take every step – even if it is on a path you would not have chosen for yourself. As your trust deepens and your submission to His reign becomes more complete He will flood your life with His grace and love and others will come to understand the reason Jesus was born in a stable and died upon a cross.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
Have you ever thought how the first Christmas messed up everyone’s plans? It messed up King Herod’s plan because he wanted to be king of the Jews and here was a Messiah arriving who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It messed up the shepherd’s plan because they were planning on another quiet night with the sheep. It messed up the religious leader’s plans because they were expecting a political Messiah who would come and set them free from Roman captivity and Jesus came along and taught things like, “Turn the other cheek,” and “Go the second mile,” and “Love your enemies.” But most of all, it messed up Mary and Joseph’s plans. Mary and Joseph were just a young couple, probably teenagers and all they wanted to do was get married and have “little Marys” and “little Josephs.” During their engagement period God all of sudden comes along and says, “I’m changing your plans a bit.” And the angel said to Mary and Joseph, “Mary, three things are going to happen. One, you’re going to get pregnant before your wedding day. Two, Joseph is not going to be the father. It’s going to be a virgin birth, unlike anything that has ever happened before.” And three, “The baby is going to be God.” That messed up their plans - by more than just a little. They weren’t at all expecting that to happen.
Some of you may have had your plans messed up this past year. I heard about a woman in New York who took her son to visit Santa Claus and sit on his lap in the mall. When she got there she discovered that Santa Claus was her ex-husband who was not paying the child support he had agreed to pay. Three hours later she came back with a court injunction and slapped it on him while he was waiting for the next kid in line to climb up on his lap. Suddenly he wasn’t going, “Ho, Ho, Ho” any longer. He hadn’t planned on that.
Our plans can get messed up in a number of ways. Sometimes it’s our own sin or ineptness that messes up our plans. Sometimes it’s others who mess up our plans. But sometimes God providentially, sovereignly changes circumstances around because He has a different plan in mind. That’s what happened at the first Christmas over 2000 years ago. When God intervenes with His plan, it can often leave a person in a state of confusion wondering what the future is going to bring. If you’ve experienced a sudden change in your circumstances here are some things to consider.
God May Be Saying “I’m Trying To Get Your Attention.” Joseph was understandably in a state of confusion when he found out about Mary’s pregnancy. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to envision the range of confusing and frustrating emotions he must have felt. God had to supernaturally intervene with an angel to get his attention off of his emotions and on the plan of God. Essentially the angel was saying, “Joseph, listen to me. God has a plan in this and wants you to cooperate and not do anything rash, which will get in the way of what He has ordained.” When circumstances suddenly change in unexpected ways, it’s normal for a person to be frustrated and angry. But the emotions can sometimes become barriers to understanding what God may be saying. We can be so focused on listening to ourselves that we don’t hear His voice.
In Psalm 81:8 God says, “O I wish my people would just listen to me.” The problem many of us have when it comes to listening to God is we have Spiritual ADD. It’s not that He isn’t speaking. It’s just that we are so often distracted by other voices that we don’t hear what He is saying. The way God often gets our attention is to rearrange our circumstances so that have we start to listen again.
God May Be Saying, “I’ve Got a Better Plan.” Mary and Joseph had dreams and plans for their future together, but God had a different plan for them. His plan for their life was far greater and more wonderful than anything they could have pondered. The plans you’ve made for your future may be well thought-out and carefully contemplated. You may have already spent a long time preparing for your plan. There may have been a great amount of energy and resources already expended to accomplish your plan. But if God intervenes and changes your plan, you can be assured that what He has prepared for you will be far better than what you have prepared for yourself. Jer. 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Rest assured that God’s plans for you will be more rewarding than anything you may have dreamed up for yourself. His plans will fill your life with a greater significance and satisfaction than you can imagine.
God May Be Saying “I Want You To Trust Me” Can you imagine the faith that it took for Joseph to do what he had to do? If your fiancé came to you one day and said, “Honey, I’m pregnant - and by the way, it’s God’s fault.” Would you believe it? Can you imagine the faith Mary had to have when she realized that of all the women in the entire world, God chose to use her as the instrument by which He would come into the world? God’s plan was so different from their plan for their life that all they could do was trust. But that was ok. Because the Bible says there’s only one way to please God. It’s not by religion. It’s not by ritual. It’s not by ceremony. It’s not by living according to a long list of regulations. It’s to trust God and live by faith not sight. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” God wants you to learn to trust Him – in small things and large.
If your plans have been messed up this year, have you considered that God may be trying to get your attention? He may be intervening in your life with new and difficult circumstances to help deepen your trust in Him. Whatever course your life is currently taking you can know this: God does have a personal plan for you. He will never leave or abandon you. He wants you trust Him as you take every step – even if it is on a path you would not have chosen for yourself. As your trust deepens and your submission to His reign becomes more complete He will flood your life with His grace and love and others will come to understand the reason Jesus was born in a stable and died upon a cross.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 3:35 PM
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