There are days I don’t understand God’s plan and timing.
During these times, I’m tempted to question God’s goodness.
Somehow, I know I’m not the only one.
I’ve heard the stories from single moms and lived through my own. And I’m left confused.
I know God is good, but some days, it doesn’t feel like it.
We’ve been wronged many times and climbed over so many mountains that we begin to doubt God’s plan and timing.
It’s not polite to say. But I have a sneaking suspicion that God already knows our doubts.
I’m not the only one who doesn’t understand.
And it always helps to have a friend going through the same things.
I wonder what you and I would say to each other. What kind of encouragement would we give each other over coffee?
I imagine there would be some tears. Followed by, “I just don’t understand.” And there, we would find comfort in talking to someone who truly understands.
And what a great place to start.
What to remember when you don’t understand God’s plan or timing.
He hasn’t left; he’s right beside us, and he’s not offended by our tears and lack of understanding.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Proverbs 34:18 KJV
We may not understand his plan, but he has one.
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
This is not the end of our story.
What we see now is not permanent. We will make it. God’s plan is good for us and these kids.
It’s much easier to overcome difficulty when we know it is not permanent.
He leads moms tenderly.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11
He has not forgotten that we have these little ones.
God understands the depths of our needs.
Many times, I have prayed for the superficial and the easy, but that’s not what God had in mind.
I asked for quick and easy. But he gave me healing and freedom instead for me and these kids.
While I was focused on getting somewhere quick, anywhere, he was focused on profound inner change. The slow, miserable kind. The kind that lasts.
As I fretted over the temporary, he breathed life back into these kids.
Some days, I shake my head and roll my eyes at God’s plan and timing. His way can be exasperating. But so much deeper than a simple, quick answer to prayer.
There is more than one example of this in the Bible, but this is one of my favorites.
The story of Naaman. It’s a great story with so much detail. Have to love how this guy thinks!
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%205&version=NIV
Naman was a leader in the Syrian army. He also had a bad case of leprosy.
You may read about this in detail, but I will sum it up due to time and writing constraints.
He went to the prophet Elisha to receive healing from the Israelite God.
Elisha directed him via servant to go and dip in the Jordan River seven times. God could have healed him in many ways, but this one seemed ridiculous, and that’s what Naaman thought. He let Elisha know.
Elisha told him that this is what God required him to do to receive healing. “If God had asked you to do something hard, you would have done it. So, why not this.” (My paraphrasing.)
Naaman was healed when he dipped seven times in the river. It doesn’t make sense to us, but God was trying to reach Naaman’s heart. Not just his skin.
God’s focus for you and me isn’t just temporary. It’s eternal.
He doesn’t just want to save our skins but our hearts and the hearts of these children.
So, what do we do when God’s plan and timing aren’t the quick fixes we were hoping for?
We give him a little credit for being God. And we practice a little patience.
We keep praying and asking for our needs to be met. We ask that he open doors and floodgates.
There will be times when we don’t understand why he’s asking us to do something. The rewards may not be immediate. It may not make sense to anyone. But God’s plans aren’t quick fixes.
They are plans that come with lasting results—and heart changes.
This journey is a marathon.
We may not like it, but knowing that he cares about us and has an excellent plan for our lives and futures gives us the strength to try again.
We pray we watch, we receive.
Look for his leading in the small steps you can take.
What baby steps can you take? We aren’t acting desperately but decidedly. You may still be in a difficult situation, but taking small steps in the right direction can change many things.
And while you wait, consider the gifts he’s already given and the ones he wants to share.
Gifts from God The God Who Gives the Best Kind of Gifts. (singlemomoutwest.com)
