Madison J. Caplinger

“‘For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.’”  ~Jeremiah 29:11

When I was 4, I wanted to be a chef. When I was 9, I wanted to be a doctor. When I was 12, I wanted to be a lawyer. I entered college as an Entrepreneurship major, and changed my major half a semester in. 

We plan. God laughs. Hysterically.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in our own plans; we fall in love with someone and plan out our lives with them. We fall in love with a career (or the salary attached to it) and throw ourselves into becoming that. But then, something goes wrong. The person we love breaks our heart. We change our mind about that major, or don’t get the job we want. And suddenly our plans are shattered. 

It’s frustrating when God tells us no. Sometimes, it’s excruciatingly painful. I’ve had more plans shatter than come to fruition. But I can look back and be glad that I didn’t get what I wanted. His plans are to give us a future filled with hope.

So stop your planning. I’m not saying to stop chasing the dreams God has given you, or setting goals, or working to achieve them. But never get so attached to your plans that you hold on even when God leads you in another direction. It may hurt, but holding on to plans that aren’t meant to be will hurt much more. God promises that what He has for us is far better than anything we could dream for ourselves.