Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Interrupted Plans

This is from Elizabeth Elliott's book A Lamp for My Feet:

We like things to go smoothly and as planned. Very often unexpected things intervene, and our plans go awry. We think we've got "problems." There is another level at which everything that happens is being engineered. "God has no problems," Corrie ten Boom said, "only plans." When ours are interrupted, His are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable) "toward the goal of true maturity" (Rom 12:2 JBP). Believe God. Turn the interruptions over to Him. He is at the controls.


I appreciated this devotional from Back to the Bible in my inbox this morning. I so often find myself reacting to circumstances instead of consciously focusing on Who is in control. The Lord graciously keeps working on me, molding me into His image (having toddlers is definitely training ground, isn't it??!!), but it seems like my days start out better when I fix the truth of God's Word in my mind and choose to meditate on it. Most likely my day will be full of unexpected things. My baby probably won't sleep a wink today, and my 3 year old will probably test every limit I've ever set. :) I might not get anything done at all today except for feeding and caring for the kids. But you know, the Lord chooses our days, and if He has that kind of day for me, then I want to choose His way. I want to "put on a good attitude," which is what we always tell Ethan, when his facial expressions betray his heart attitude. :) I can't very well teach him the ways of the Lord if I'm not willing to obey the Lord myself!

But then again, Simon is already down for a morning nap and it's not even 9 am yet! This is a very good sign. :) So I wonder what the Lord has for me now...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Simon is sleeping because God wanted to you share those encouraging words with the rest of us. Thanks! Love you, Mom

jenica said...

There has already been some unexpected things in my day that, I have to admit, I didn't receive happily. I'm glad I checked your blog! Even if I don't have control of interruptions, I do have control of my attitude.

Jessie said...

Thanks for the encouragement Rachel. I know that my days always seems to go better after I have read and prayed. It helps me to "change my attitude" when I need to, which is what I tell Ben as well.

Michelle said...

Thank you for reminding me of my attitude. It is so easy to get all frustrated over things not going our way, but you are completely correct. Maybe it isn't so bad after all, on those days when caring for the kids is all I get done.

Ruth said...

Thanks for your thoughts and for the quote! You know that I need to hear that right now! :)

Rachel said...

Yes, Ruth. :) I think we all need to hear it. Yesterday was a particularly trying day with the boys (although when I posted that, I had no idea!), but the Lord provided the encouragement before I even needed it. Praise the Lord that He is so gracious to us!