Sometimes we are distracted by things that alter our plans and cause us to veer off course. We wake up to a normal day expecting things to go a certain way and then discover that our plans must be rearranged. A change of plans can happen in just a few moments. Life happens, and it can upset even our best-laid plans.
But we can preserve those plans and accept the fact that no matter how good they are, unforeseen things will happen. Reality also possesses an annoying tendency to act differently than we expect. We spend weeks and days making our plans, but they can fall apart in mere seconds even when we do ourselves the favor of creating some wiggle room.
There is no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic shook us to our core and uprooted many of our plans. From our work life situation to our well-earned vacation, things took a sharp turn and fast. Take a breath and take comfort in knowing that we are all in this together.
Our plans can fail for all sorts of reasons. We accept they sometimes die while still in the planning stage. But strangely enough, not everything dies alongside those plans. So how do we respond when life changes our plans? Let go of the expectations that undergirded your plans. Many people try to get back on track by winning yesterday’s race, but their efforts bring only frustration and anxiety.
A biblical scripture that I often refer to whenever my plans are altered is the one in Jeremiah that reads, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord….plans to give you hope and the future.” The plans that the Lord has for each one of us provides the means for us to stay the course. Discover God’s plans for you and you will have a life absent of anxiety, suffering, frustration and self-judgement. But rather, you will have a life full of joy and happiness. So, stay the course and Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Chaplain Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
