This is Not What I Planned
Can we really find peace when life
doesn’t work out the way we planned?
This is a part of a larger series. If you missed the other posts in this series, you can find them here:
Week 1 – Peace in the Unknown
Week 2 – What if I Fail?
Week 3: This is NOT What I Planned
The planner in me loves to see a calendar with every event written in pink ink with hearts, scrolling doodles, and bold underlining of the important things.
The longer I live, I’m learning plans don’t always pan out the way we think they should.
Sometimes what’s written in my planner gets completely thrown out the window and there I sit with a furrowed brow wondering why I ever wrote it down in the first place.
Any other planning loving people out there?
How do we have peace when life reveals unexpected twists and turns? What about those times when life is completely paused by tragic trauma or an accident that leaves us speechless and without a plan?
We could panic, shrivel up and hope it goes away. But when we wake up and realize it is real and this is still our life, it’s hard to know how to live in peace when life unexpectedly turns out different than we thought.
When peace is stripped from the depths of our souls and we don’t know how to plan for the future, there is only one place to turn.
It might sound trite and too simple to truly satisfy, but somehow it does.
Jesus is the only way to peace.
What does that even mean? The way? How can we get on that road? How do we get from the place of despair to the way that Jesus speaks about?
We open up our shredded hearts and we let Jesus do the mending.
We trust that though our troubles are not healed overnight, He has the power to set us free from the things that bind us.
We believe that Jesus is the healer of every heart and we cling to Him when our souls throb with the cares of this world.
When life isn’t all you planned it would be, there can still be peace because peace isn’t wrapped up in a bow with sparkles and rainbows.
Peace was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger in a stall with animals. Peace was ridiculed and beaten when He claimed to be the King. Peace was killed and placed in a tomb sealed so tight with a boulder and guarded by soldiers.
But Peace rose again and lives in heaven right now.
Peace is Jesus!
When you start feeling like your plans have compromised your peace, claim Peace for who He is not what life feels like.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
If you are overwhelmed by the way life is going, turn your eyes to the one who holds the future. HE LIVES!
We won’t dress up in our Easter Sunday clothes every day this week and post the cuteness for our friends to see, but we can still find peace in our Risen King!
Peace isn’t about how good we have it, or how great we want others to think we have it.
Peace is about giving everything we are to Jesus and letting Him use our messed up lives for His glory. When we give Jesus our lives, He proves His love to us. Peace is found in His presence.
Love & Blessings,
Micah
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Great post. Yes, Jesus all the way. I couldnt do life without him.
Me neither, Maree. So thankful for Jesus!
Micah, this is so encouraging to me today. Last weekend, life derailed a bit for me, so your words are helping me. Especially these: “We trust that though our troubles are not healed overnight, He has the power to set us free from the things that bind us.
We believe that Jesus is the healer of every heart and we cling to Him when our souls throb with the cares of this world. ” :) Thank you.
Betsy, I’m sorry for whatever it is you are going through, but I’m so thankful we have a steady anchor to hold us. Keep trusting. Keep holding on. Hugs!
you are oh so right with little to count on as a sure bet this time in life it is wonderful to know that we can always count on Jesus our Lord as he stays the same through and through
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Dear Micah, my daughter walked into the room and asked why i was sad. I just finished watching the horrors going on in my country, Nigeria. The ravage ruins of the lives of Christians in Northern Nigeria!
Of course it is difficult for our hearts to find peace in persecution. I have my life so with many other believers in the South but i have close relatives and friends who live there in trouble areas. I have endured only a fraction of that fear….And it’s horrible.
But peace comes from knowing where we are going. Knowing our lives here is nothing compared to our heavenly home!
Hugs and thanks for the encouragement this morning!
“Peace comes from knowing where we are going.” Powerful words from you sister as you walk through these unsettled times. Praying for your protection and boldness this morning. But most of all peace that God is with you, that Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. I’m humbled that these simple words encouraged your heart today. Hugs from my home to yours.
As an Army wife, I have lots of things that don’t go how I planned. But knowing my eternity is sealed by a plan that has already been executed and cannot be altered, give me peace! You’re so right on with this post! Blessings!
I appreciate your family and the sacrifice you make for our country. Hugs, Liz!
We get distracted with so many different ways and ideas about stuff when really we need to just focus on Jesus!
Yes! Focus. It’s such a difficult thing, but it’s the foundation to living in peace. Focusing on Jesus today!
I love the simple statement at the end of this post: Peace is found in his presence. It’s such a true and freeing statement. It reminds me where to go and what is wrong when I’m lacking peace. Thank you.
You are so welcome, Sarah. I love how you use the word “freeing”. That describes peace so well. It’s freedom!
Jesus is truly the only way to peace. I wish I hadn’t tried other ways of finding it before I completely turned it over to Him!
I think we’ve all been there searching for peace in all the wrong places. I’m so thankful Jesus welcomes us back to Him with open arms.
Visiting from Beth’s.
Jesus really is the ONLY path to peace. No other.
YES! Thanks for dropping in!
Such a beautiful reminder, and so very true, Micah. Blessings to you!
Thanks, Lauren! I love seeing you over here. Hugs!
Love this micah! Peace is not a place but a Person. So often I forget – esp staring at my Planner! (: Blessings on you, your calendar and your place in God’s kingdom ministry!
Sue, I forget too, too often sometimes. I appreciate you!
I totally get this, Micah. I’m in a season of life where nothing is set in stone, and by God’s grace and in His strength, I’m OK with that. But I didn’t used to feel that way … it’s been a journey for sure. So glad to be your neighbor this week at Purposeful Faith.
Lois, I’m in one of those seasons too. So many things are up in the air and we are waiting to see what God is going to do, but much like you, I’m OK with it. It’s been a journey for sure, and there are better days than others, but God is proving Himself faithful through it all. Blessings to you this week!
How many times have I thought: This is not what I planned? But God is faithful and we can trust His plans. Visiting from #coffeeforyourheart today
So thankful for Jesus! The same yesterday, today, and forever. Glad to see you here today, Angela!
Micah,
I would love your opinion on something. I recently suffered a few losses in my personal life. My mother passed away and I am handling that much better than I figured. The other was a relationship that ended abruptly and without explanation or warning. I had prayed about this relationship for a long time, nearly a year before I agreed to enter into it. I was hesitant but I felt the Lord was telling me to move forward with it. I continued to pray all through it (nearly four years) and kept feeling the Lord was telling me to stay and all would work out. Well, it ended six months ago and I am devastated…still, my kids are none to pleased either. I am even more hurt that the Lord would lead me to such pain. I feel like my trust in prayer is broken. Thoughts?
Deanna, I’m so sorry for your recent losses. It’s hard to give you specific advice or my opinion with me having a limited knowledge of your specific situation. But I can tell you this, Jesus is faithful. When things do not work out like we think they should, the only thing we can do is trust and lean in closer to the comfort and grace of Jesus. Grief compounds every loss, so with you having more than one loss that you are dealing with, that it a lot for anyone. Sometimes it’s very helpful to speak with a qualified biblical counselor who can learn more about your specific situation and help guide you through your grief. The pain you are suffering is understandable considering all you have been through lately. I pray you can find a Christian counselor or mentor that can help you process your thoughts and work through these losses. Whatever you do, don’t try to press through it alone. I’m praying for you tonight, Deanna.
Thanks Micah, I do meet with my pastor every Tuesday after work for the last year now. With a job that deals with tons of negativity its a much needed emotional reconnect with the Word. I am also reading some Holley Gerth Books. I am just really struggling with prayer and feeling a connection when I pray.
You had me at the subtitle “This is not what I planned!” Whether or not one uses a planner, I think we all have an idea of what we want our day, our week, our year, our life to look lik… And yet, rarely is it as we’ve “planned.” Thanks for the reminder that our peace doesn’t lie in our plans – and thank goodness for THAT!
I appreciate you sharing this over at Coffee and Conversation last week, Micah. We’re featuring it over at tomorrow’s party! :-)
Have an awesome week…