You have it all figured out. Your plans are superb and they are God-honoring. How would God not bless them? How would He not give a resounding yes to them? Maybe you want to lead an initiative of some kind. Maybe you have a vision for a grand coalition of organizations and churches uniting together to address some real-world issue. I don’t know what your plans are. But you do.
And it may be the case that your plans have just not yet come to pass. Maybe it’s a not yet, but a yes in your lifetime. And only you can determine if it’s so. But here’s the thing: some plans don’t line up with God’s (at least not in your lifetime or not fulfilled by you, and sometimes not at all).
What to Do When Your Plans Don’t Line Up With God’s
King David desired greatly to build a temple for God. As the king of Israel he certainly could have done it – he had the resources, the man power, and the architects to pull it off. But God said no. Not yet. In fact, God simply said this: “You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in” (1 Chronicles 17:4b).
One of David’s greatest desires was to build this temple for God. He was living in a palace and he felt guilty that he was in such a nice place and God’s dwelling place was still in a tent. I mean, how selfless of a plan, right?! His whole desire was to give God what He deserved – a permanent home. But he was told no.
To make matters worse, he was told no because he wasn’t the right person for the job. It wasn’t that his plan was bad, it was that he wasn’t the right person to do it. How about that for a crushing blow to the ego![shareable]What do you do when God tells you you’re not the right person for the job?[/shareable]
But then God gave him some insight into the plan that blew David’s plans doors off…
‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, 8 and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 9 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, 10 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the Lord will build you a house. 11 When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14 but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’” 15 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. (1 Chronicles 17:7b-15 emphasis mine)
God said thanks, but no thanks. I’ve got something better in mind. In fact, at first reading it may appear that God is simply speaking of David’s son Solomon here (which he certainly is), but if you look closer, this passage has a double fulfillment. More on that in a moment.
A Son to Build
Instead of David being the one to build God a temple it was his son, Solomon. And build he did! Solomon took the vision his father had for the temple and he made it happen. He was blessed as the king of Israel and prospered greatly. He was full of wisdom and Israel thrived under his leadership.
And David never got to see it. He died before his vision was fulfilled.
But he had more to look forward to…
A Son to Save
I will establish his throne forever…
It all started with a plan in the mind of a man and then this bomb is dropped on that man. Your offspring, David, will be king forever. Who is God speaking of? Jesus. What is the house He built? The Church.
This shouldn’t be a surprise that the house built for God is ultimately fulfilled in you and me – the Church. Just look at this, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Here’s the Point
What to do when your plans don’t line up with God’s? You point yourself back to the fact that God has already shown His faithfulness in what His Son has done for you.
This should bring to mind a number of facts about God and our relationship with Him:
- God loves us more than we will ever understand.
- God does work out all things for good for those who love Him because we see that in the end He wins and, subsequently, we win.
- God’s plans blow the doors off of ours (David was going to build a building for God, but God wanted to build an eternal kingdom).
- Sometimes it’s better if God says no. It may be the pathway to the best yes we weren’t even considering.
So what will you do when your plans don’t line up with God’s? Will you condemn Him and think that your idea of what should happen is better than His? Or will you remind yourself to the fact that God’s got you? He has already shown His consistent, unswerving faithfulness to loving you even when you don’t deserve it.
Trust Him. He’s given you the ultimate reason to. Jesus.
‘Nuff said.
[shareable]Trust Him. He’s given you the ultimate reason to. Jesus.[/shareable]
