God's Plan and Chocolate cookie dough

"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

Hummmm many of you know this verse.. it is a pretty popular verse. It is the verse that says YEAH... God has a future for me! God's got my back!... I will prosper, I will take giant leaps! No weapons formed against me will prosper! I'm ready to karate chop anything coming at me ... make way.. I'm Super Plan Girl Yeee-ha! Where is my cape?

In all seriousness.. Everything about Jer 29:11 is 100% true and more! Everything except my interpretation of this verse for myself. Let us rewind a little. "For I know the plans" This verse specifically states that God knows the plan that he has for me, for you and everyone. So why is is that we struggle with "The Plan"? Or is it really God's plan or have you created a plan - a blue print, the want list, the here are my goals list that you believe is fool proof? It looks like a great plan, a plan that will do good for people, a plan that I believe God would approve? Correct?

So what is going on when most of the doors you knock on as you carry the most strategic plans forward do not appear to be functioning the way you had hoped for? The doors either do not open or they open and slam back in your face? .. Ouch! (been there)

I trust that God has a plan - but none of my plans are coming out the way I had "planned". I am reminded that the verse is not "For I know the plans you have "for yourself".

Get it? Have we added in a few words "for yourself" subconsciously? Am I acting out the plan I have my for myself?.. but hoping that the real verse backs up my subtle adjustment of the verse? Oh but it's just a little adjustment: "for yourself". Why would that be such a big deal? There is a sci-fi movie called "The Fly". This really smart scientist was trying to invent something with his smarty machine (my name for it). One little bitty "fly" sneaks in the booth with him when he starts the experiment. Well that one little "fly" turned him into a grotesque looking fly. And at the end... he became that "fly" - it ate him up from the inside out. I can't allow "little" things to slide. We need to come clean on everything because that "little" one thing will completely change the meaning of a verse like Jer 29:11 and keep us going around the same mountain again and again.

What matters then? Above all -- that God is in control and he has a "master" plan for me. Am I on board with that? Have I really surrendered to his plan? This plan thing is PAINFUL. So much so that I have days that I just want to stick my face in a big batch of chocolate cookie dough and not even bother to come up for air.

So either I am going to give in to the Pillbury Dough boy or I am going to give my all to God despite how bad it looks in the natural. I'm not sugar coating this - the process of really "surrendering" to God's plan can be painful. What we see as setbacks is God using circumstances to either break something off of you, strenthen you or make you more compassionate. So before you go and attack a roll of cookie dough (love that popping sound), remember that he has not forgotten you. He didn't run out of plans when your name came up and he pulled out a recycled version from someone else's life. No way... God is a class act.

He always knew we would come to be ... and I am grateful that my Father God has my back and the right plan for my life. ...plans to prosper us...(we are rich in him, his riches are not of this world, he prospers us with intelligence, wisdom, opportunities, relationships). Not to harm you (although set backs and disappointments can run deep), God knows how he is maneuvering your life for those victories yet to come...Plans to give you hope and a future. (He is our hope and our future is sealed with the Lord Jesus Christ our deliverer, redeemer and saviour).

A few additional verses that prove God's final say on our "plans":

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.(NIV) Prov. 16:9

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. Prov. 19:21

A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way? Prov. 20:24

I left the best for last..."How then can anyone understand his own way?" By far the most difficult part of all. Not understanding. I can't figure this out! Why is this not making sense? Here' is the deal, we will never be able to figure out God's plan- it is impossible to know the mind of God. He will take care of the details, we just need to be 'available' and 'willing' to be active in his plan.

Father God, we doubt your ways because we don't like the detours you throw in our lives. Some of this stuff is so painful that it seems that the pain lingers on and on. But in reality, you are strengthening us more and more. Help us "see" with our spirits and not with our "own eyes". Embrace us in moments of despair - remind us that we are purposeful in you. When the tears flow.. you wipe our tears. When the heart is wounded you reach down to heal. You are an everlasting loving God and I am grateful and open to the original PLANS that you have for our lives. Amen.