“God has a plan for you”
I heard it so often following my divorce at the young age of 21. I’ve heard it said at funerals, to widows, and grieving children. I’ve heard it said to people who have been laid off from a job of 20 years. I have heard it said by many people, and to still more. “God has a plan for you.”
I’m sure He does. I’m sure He had a plan for Adam and Eve, for Noah, for Jesus. Sometimes the plan isn’t pleasant, and sometimes the road is uphill. Sometimes we can see the plan perfectly, until our perspective may change.
Imagine if you will
You’re journeying through the wilderness, have a clear view of the path ahead from where you begin. Before you know it, though, you descend into a valley, cannot see over the ridge ahead, cannot see the road past where it curves into the trees. You trip over a rock or a stump, and from where you lie on the dirt, all you see are treetops. You cannot see the path. What if you can no longer walk, and have to peer around brambles and tree trunks?
This is what many Christians deal with on a regular basis. We think we have some clue as to what God has in store for us, but what if things change? Do His plans change?
Some of us find ourselves face-down in the dirt of life from time to time. For many others, though, they quite literally find themselves face-down in the dirt of the road. When accident or illness costs someone the use of something as vital as their legs, how can we expect them to stay focused on the road ahead?
Hitting Rock Bottom
Rock bottom can be a lonely place, encompassing, and difficult. When you run into a brick wall, it’s all you see. When you fall on your face, you cannot even move to look up until you catch your breath. However, life doesn’t give you time to catch your breath. Before you can raise your head you have bills to pay, jobs to do, and people circling you, saying “God’s got a plan for you.”
When someone literally falls, it’s often our instinct to run toward them, sometimes laughing, but ready to help. What if there is nothing to do to help?
If they fall and can’t get to their feet again, we can crawl along beside them. When we see that there isn’t anything to do, saying “God has a plan for you” may just anger them. However, saying, “I’ll help you find God’s plan for the new you,” may help in the only way you can.
He Heals the Brokenhearted
Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” God is in the heart-fixing business. That means when someone comes to Him, they walk away fixed up. This doesn’t mean, they aren’t changed, though. And when they’re changed, plans change.
If you see someone fall on your path, do all you can to help them find their way. They may not need a hand to hold, or a light to see in the dark. They may only need someone to be there with them.
