His Plans For You

While driving to work this morning, I was thinking. (I don’t know about you but when I drive I ‘think’.) Last night I was having drinks with a friend. She has been harping about work for some time now and I was aware that she was looking for another job.

This morning's thoughts were focused on my friend’s situation and I was telling myself that I must ask Grace (another friend) to pray for her. Not that I am not on speaking terms with God, but then I have always felt that God listens to some people more than He listens to me. Just as I am aware that my mum used to give in more to my younger sister’s demands than she would mine, every time we needed permission to do or buy something, my sis would always be our spokesman! The same situation applies here. If I really want to help my friend, Grace’s prayers would be more effective than mine! Motivational speakers encourage us to speak & think positive. Be very specific and know what you want in life and so in my mind, I was very specific that “help” would come in the form of a job opening for this friend. An ideal job would be having a good boss, nice environment, high pay, no stress etc.

In the midst of all these thoughts playing in my mind, a revelation came! It had to be from God because I don’t have the capability to think so logically. Sometimes we are so ‘set’ in our minds about what we want that we don’t recognize an answered prayer even when it is staring at us. We do not know the mind of God or how He would choose to answer our prayers.

I remember a story that goes something like this. One day it rained very heavily till it started to flood. There was this guy who prayed to God to stop the rain but pretty soon the water had reached his waist. Along came a man in a sampan who offered to take him to higher ground but he refused. It continued to rain and he prayed harder “God, please make the rain stop!” By now he was standing on a table as the flood had risen even higher. Soon a speedboat made its way towards him and the boatman shouted for him to get into the boat but again he refused and prayed even harder for God to stop the rain. It kept raining and by now the man was standing on the roof of his house. A helicopter came and hovered above him but the man waved it away, shouting, “God will stop the rain” Soon the man drowned and rose to heaven. When he saw God he was very angry and asked God why his prayers were not answered? And how in spite of his faith, God had not saved him by 'stopping the rain'. God said, “Who did you think, sent the sampan, speedboat & helicopter?”

However good my intention, I don’t think it’s for me to decide that the best solution for my friend is a new job. Maybe God has a better plan for her? Instead of telling God to find her a job, I should just intercede for her in prayers and allow God to do things His way and trust that God’s will is best even though we may not think it at first. Can you imagine 3 yrs down the road I am still praying “find her a job, find her a job” and getting more and more bitter that my prayers aren’t answered but who knows the ways of our Lord? Perhaps with the passing of time, my friend has come to enjoy her work and is enjoying the benefits of an ideal job and yet because my mind was so made up, I did not realize the change in her situation.

When I next speak to Grace, I will not be asking her to pray for a new job for our friend. I will just ask her to pray for our friend full-stop. F

Jer 29:11 (NIV) "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."

Isaiah 55 : 8 & 9 - For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.