When Your Schedule gets in god's Way

KynaB via Flickr CC

As messy as my room was in high school, you'd never know that I'm an OCD plan-aholic. In college each class had an assigned color with a color coded notebook, pens and file folder for every one. All of my science assignments were written in blue ink pen in my planner, and class notes were taken in a blue notebook. I had my life planned down to 15 minute increments.

No guarantees

Maybe you're not as schedule planning crazy as I am, but maybe your life plans are still getting in the way of God's plans for you. Are you leaving margin in your life for God to test you, grow you and bless you in unexpected ways?

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— ¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." - James 4:13-17

Leaving God out 

I hate to admit it, but it honestly didn't occur to me until this year that my life goals and life plans left God out of the picture. Sure, I've committed to reading scripture and prayer journaling every morning, but I had made the mistake of compartmentalizing the God of the universe. Even though I try to pray without ceasing throughout my day, I hadn't really invited God to take charge of my dreams and plans.

I've planned out my year, my goals and what I want to accomplish when, but I didn't think to leave room for God's plans. Not that there's anything wrong with improving my businesses, and focusing on growing my family relationships, but I didn't stop to ask, what may God have planned for me this year?

Trying to fit a square into a circle mold

To be honest, last year was a huge struggle. My husband almost died from acute pancreatitis in May, and then again from a heart problem in October. I had to help him through the trial of opioid withdrawal. It was so bad,  that he had thoughts of death, and I had to come home early from work, to hold him as he fell apart. Later that year we became the sole caretakers of  his grandma who has severe Alzheimers,  only to face the death of both of his grandparents after being their live in caregivers for 4 years.

Before all of that craziness happened, I had planned out a detailed schedule and goals for my life at the beginning of the year. I was going to teach more essential oil classes in the community, I was going to write for 5 hours a day, I was going to have a clean house. But God had other plans. My mistake was trying to still shove my human goals into a day that He was trying to fill with testing and blessing. I spent the year frustrated and overwhelmed as my plans clashed with His.

Unless the Lord builds the house,

    those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

    the watchman stays awake in vain.

² It is in vain that you rise up early

    and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

    for he gives to his beloved sleep. - Psalm 127:1-2

Commit and He will establish

The problem wasn't that my goals were bad. The problem was that I was trying to drag God along with me, instead of allowing Him to lead. I don't want to labor in vain! That's too much work and I don't have the energy for it. I had made my plans, but God had a different path for me.

The plans of the heart belong to man,

    but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

² All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,

    but the Lord weighs the spirit.^[a]

³ Commit your work to the Lord,

    and your plans will be established.

⁴ The Lord has made everything for its purpose,

    even the wicked for the day of trouble.

⁹ The heart of man plans his way,

    but the Lord establishes his steps. - Proverbs 16:1-4,9

Speaking of letting leaders lead, this is an absolutely hilarious video that illustrates the point perfectly. It shows just how messy (and embarrassing) things can get when we try to lead where we shouldn't.

The best part is, that God isn't trying to mess my plans up because He just wants to make life hard for me. Quite the opposite!

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. - Ephesians 3:20

I'm realizing that not only does God have a good and perfect plan for me life, one to prosper me and not harm me, but His plan is far better than anything I can ever imagine! At the end of last year, before things got really intense with more craziness, I was offered 3 full time writing jobs in one week. Yes, 3! This is something I had been working towards for years, and it finally happened all in one week. Yes I worked hard for it, but I know without a doubt that if it weren't for God intervening, I never would have had those opportunities.

Re-evaluating my plans

As I was planning out this year again, ready to finally hit my goals hard, it was brought to my attention that I need to leave room for God to interrupt my plans. Because his plans are far better than any I could ever imagine.

Do you invite God to interrupt your life with His testing and blessing, or do you power through with your life and goals? Please share your thoughts in the comments!