Maxeau Antoine, Haiti
“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.”
Jeremiah 29:11
Life always brings surprises—at least in the opinion of people. What do you think is the reason? Is it by accident that peoples’ lives change tremendously?
We have Someone whose will is always the best. His plans for our lives are in His hands, even though most of the time what happens in our lives surprises others and sometimes us. He is the one who knows the best for us. In Jeremiah 29, the prophet tells us that even though we don’t know what our lives will look like in the future, God knows our future just as He did for the Israelites.
Anyone who trusts and believes in Him doesn’t need to be worried about tomorrow, because it is not our responsibility. In Matthew 6:25 Jesus said, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.” I have found that through God our needs in life are guaranteed to be met.
Beloved, when we look at some believers’ lives—and you look at your own life—it is clear to see how God cares. When you are in a period of waiting, you need to wait for God’s timing and it will come. By seeing it happen, you will grow further in faith.
I knew a man who was always angry about people making progress in life. He discovered that the more he acted angry toward them, these same people kept progressing all the more. He concluded that Christians progress according to God’s timing and nobody can stop it.
Sometimes, though, we can’t wait for God to act. We try our ways and think that we can help God make it happen. We are mistaken. It is not our will, but His will be done “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
One day, I had in mind to buy a car. I prayed for that. I knew that God would give it to me. When I found one, I bought it because I thought it was the will of God. I soon discovered that I was wrong in my decision. Anytime I started to drive it, the car would stop running after 10 minutes. I eventually had to sell it and lost some money in the process.
If you stay in God’s will, wait on Him, and count on His promises, your life will surprise others as well as you.