My Plans Weren’t God’s Plans
I sat there, feeling numb, fighting back tears, feeling as if my whole world was ripped right from beneath me. The past 7 years, I worked for this company working my way up to the management team. It was gone. My job was gone, just in a matter of seconds.
What was being said was irrelevant. I was considered a good worker, a great friend, how they didn’t have a choice and so forth. My mind took me to my daughters. I was a single Mom without financial support from my daughters father. How was I going to get through this? After I left, the tears fell effortlessly. Shaking, beyond emotional, I questioned God. I didn’t understand why God allowed this to happen. I had this plan, this budget based on my income, I was on the right path.
Friday was the end of the world to me . Saturday I felt hollow as I read text messages from my coworkers saying they were sad to see me go, but wishing me the best. Sunday, I was starting to feel relieved. Yes, relieved. I wasn’t feeling anxious about the next day being Monday. I didn’t have to stress about the following week.
You see, my plan was my plan, not God’s plan. I would pray for God to protect me and guide me while I focused on my plan. Never did I say, “if it is your will God, lead me and guide me down your path, towards your plan.” My plan included staying at this job for a few more years, save money and look for another company, possibly a larger company and remain in Human Resources.
During the past year, I was stressed out. I felt unappreciated, taken advantage of and being let go confirmed, I was just a number. I focused on my plan, assuming that was the path God wanted me to take. My plan was one that left me unfulfilled as a person. I went through the motions day after day, wearing many hats and coming home annoyed. Sounds like a great plan I created, right?
God is so good! He saw me struggling, he saw me unhappy and he saw something that was better for me, a life to glorify him. Once I changed my mindset and praised him during this job loss, only then I felt peace and hope. God gives and he takes away. My time was done working at that company. Even though, I was worried about the financial aspect of it, I knew God would walk with me and provide.
Due to the job loss, it pushed me out of my comfort zone. I always knew I wanted to start my own business. I wanted to help others, I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to share my testimony, my personal stories that involved betrayal, hurt, grief and forgiveness and how God has seen me through it all. This was my calling, I prayed and he led me to write and to pursue my certification in being a Professional Life Coach.
I praise him for opening my eyes and putting me on his plan. We are often focused or money driven to realize how unfulfilled we are. Sometimes, God has to shake our world to see the perfect plan he has for us. We have a choice to question God, become bitter and possibly resent what God has taken away or praise him through this storm and open your life to be led.
Takeaway
Life isn’t going to go our way…key word, our way. We are human, we will hurt and we will need to process life changes that are out of our control. When we start to fear because of a loss, we need to understand this fear is not from God. Fear is from the enemy, he enjoys and thrives on our worry, stress and anger.
Prayer is critical during this time. Praise God for looking out for you, for putting you back on his path. Instead of trying to fix this on your own, regroup and pray for his direction. When you struggle to do so, remember this wonderful promise, “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” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV).
My faith in our wonderful father is fierce and strong. God wants us to work and he desires us to use our experiences and talents in our work as an act of worship, regardless how insignificant they seem to us. I encourage you to invite God into your work circumstance and see his wonderful plan prosper. There will be struggles and you may feel financially overwhelmed but remain firm in your faith and lay those worries, through prayer at his feet.
Never forget God is here for us. He loves us. He has our back. He wants us to trust and have faith in him. He is with us and he is making all things new for us. Isn’t that the most fulfilling feeling to have? Thank you God for being so merciful and good. Thank you for providing the wisdom for us to see your plans for us. Thank you for believing in us when we fail to do so. You are so good!!
