DEVOTION – DAY 575

Proverbs 19:21 “God’s Plans For Us”

Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

The Bible teaches us that God is Sovereign and it is He who directs our paths and plans. We can make plans but it is God who has the right to redirect us, or cause us to make changes in our plans as He sees fit. 

Acts 16 gives us just one of many examples where God overruled the plans of man. In Acts 16:6-10, Paul and his travelling companions had planned to spend some time in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) to share the gospel to the many cities dotted around that region. But he was prevented from doing so by the Holy Spirit. One evening, Paul had a vision of a man begging him to go to Macedonia to help them. Based on this vision, Paul felt led that God wanted him to take the gospel to Macedonia and Greece. As a result, he immediately changed his plans to leave Asia Minor and set out for the city of Phillipi, which was in Macedonia. This led to the gospel being spread throughout Europe, and Paul planted many churches there. 

In the same way, I know someone who had planned to focus on serving the Lord by leading other men to do Bible Study, when he had more free time when he retired. He thought he would spend some time to pursue some of his hobbies, and some time to serving the Lord. But the Lord had greater plans for him. The Lord called him to pastor a church in addition to his plans. Suddenly, this man had to adjust and set aside all his hobbies, to focus on the demands of pastoring a church, and also fulfilling his commitments to teach men in Bible Study classes. Although he was overwhelmed, he trusted God that when God calls, He will enable His people to serve Him and God is always faithful. 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we thank you for your plans for us are always far better than any that we make for ourselves. Help us to readily fall into your plans for us, to draw strength from you and to obey your calling for us. We humbly ask in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. Why do some people make plans and choose to do what they want to do and decline to make changes when there is a call for them to serve the Lord in another area? Discuss.
  2. What is your normal reaction when someone ask you to serve in an area that is not in your comfort zone? Will you be willing to pray and discern God’s Will for you in the matter? Will you obey and make changes to your plans to accommodate this request to serve?
  3. Why is God’s plans for us always superior to our own plans and why must we change in accordance to His plans for us? What happens when we refuse to follow God’s plans for us? Discuss.