Disrupted and Changed

A friend of mine planned a business trip to Egypt.  She should be there right now; however, the trip was canceled. It seemed, to my friend, that the time spent preparing fo the trip had been wasted.  The thing is . . . she is one of the best time managers I know . . so, time is not something to be wasted in her realm of life.

Crisis occurred in Egypt at the same time she was to be there.  Disruption. Chaos.  Anarchy.

Looking backwards, the fingerprints of God can now be seen in the changed plans.  The path God had for her did not include being in Egypt during the fragile state of affairs. That said, there are people that are in the midst of the chaos in Egypt, whose lives have been disrupted and changed.


So.  How do we manage the times our plans are disrupted or changed?

I believe we need to learn to respect the path God has planned for us to take.  No one can imagine what each day holds, of course, but we have the choice to not only believe, but respect, that God is in control and has a specific plan.    

Respect, Webster's Dictionary explains, is a transitive verb that means we are to consider something or someone of high regard and to refrain from interfering with it. The writer of Psalms 37 gives clarity to how we respect the plan of God.
Consider.

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good;  dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture (Psalm 37: 1-3, NRS).

 It is hard to imagine at times.  But. We are told, do not fret.  We should take note that these three words are repetitive in Psalm 37, indicating the importance.  Trust is what needs to be our first and last response when plans are disrupted or changed.  Our first impulse is to be frustrated . . . worried . . . anxious . . . stressed . . . which comes under the category of fretting.  Mistakes are made when we fret and eventually interfere with what God has planned.  So.  We must consider the plan of God with high regard.

When plans change, respect the plan God has for you.  Do not fret.  Trust God. Take time, look backwards, and see the fingerprints of God when your plans are disrupted and changed.

Learning to Kickstart the day respecting the plan of God,
Kerrie

(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)