His Purpose Prevails | Proverbs 19:21

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

That verse came at just the right time. 

So typical of God, right? You’re feeling some feelings and then He puts just the right verse in your face at just the right time. Yeah, typical, but His timing still surprises and amazes me!

Anyway, as I was saying, that verse came at just the right time for me. Life gets crazy, doesn’t it? Circumstances and people change, and we really just have learn to adapt.

My husband and I actually thrive on change in some circumstances, and we consider ourselves very adaptable. I think you kind of have to be able to adapt well when God calls you to live on the opposite side of the world, anyway, and we’ve done well with it. We love it! In fact, we’ve gotten comfortable.

“Comfortable” can be a dangerous state to be in though, and lately there have been so many wrenches thrown into our plans. It’s all good (mostly good), but each change comes with its own challenge, and it’s happening all at once.

Our plans are having to adapt to make room for all of these changes, and for a whole minute we were really frustrated with the direction we were being moved in.

Yes, for a whole minute (or for two straight weeks), I was feeling really deflated and was becoming discouraged by some “misfortunes” that kept presenting themselves one after another. I was trying to come up with work-arounds, ways out, new plans, different options… and while applying changes and adapting this way is fine (this is problem-solving!), I was doing it with the mindset of one who just wanted to make things work for me.

Then the Illustrated Faith “Blessings or Lessons” devotional landed on my doorstep, and I dug in. Day 2 brought me to Proverbs 19:21, and just like that, my perspective shifted.

We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,
    but God’s purpose prevails.
Proverbs 19:21, MSG

Life is full of changes and challenges. Things don’t always work out the way we want them to, and even if you’re the most adaptable person in the world, life is going to throw you a few curveballs, and you’re going to strike out once or twice. Or every time.

What we need to store in our hearts in the midst of change (whether it’s good or bad change!) is that His purpose prevails. Try as we might, we cannot avoid change, but when it’s from Him it’s always going to be good.

I want to leave you with some lyrics from a song that keeps popping into my head as I write this. Maybe you’ve heard it, and if not I recommend taking a listen right now! It’s “Don’t Get Comfortable” by Brandon Heath, and here’s just a bit:

Comfortable, don’t get comfortable.
I am gonna move this mountain
Then I’m gonna move you in.

Yesterday
This is not yesterday.
You were standing on my shoulder
Now you’re standing on the edge.
You’ve been looking for a sign all this time.

I am gonna show you what I mean
I am gonna love like you’ve never seen
You are gonna live like you used to dream
This is your new song

Alright, now I’m off to go put this song on repeat for the rest of my life. Have a great week, friends!

xotawni

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