God's Best, or My Way

Scripture:

John 19:1-8 (NIV)

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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Devotional:

Too many times it feels that God doesn’t hear my prayers.  During all the hardships and pitfalls it seems that my life is a train wreck at times.  I wonder how this fits in God’s plans to prosper me. 

Let me start by saying that I do not believe God causes the hardships in life or the bad things we go through.  I do believe that He will use them for our benefit.  Also I believe that my choices can get in the way of God’s plan.  It isn’t that I am mightier than God and He has to give in to what I want to do.  It isn’t that my will is more powerful than God’s will.  What it does mean is that God allows us to make our own choices.  He will step aside and let us make our own decisions.  When we decide to go outside His plan or will we miss out on His best for us.

The good news is that we can always change.  We can choose God’s plan over our own at anytime.  This doesn’t mean there will be a magic wand waved and all is well.  We do have to live with the consequences of our decisions.  Sometimes they are good and sometimes they are bad.  Sometimes it does take time.  My financial mistakes happened over time.  It will take time to fix the issue.  Don’t despair God is with you and He will help you through it.  We are never alone.  We will be given what we need to get through what life throws at us.  We will have what we need to survive our own mistakes.  Even in the worst of things God’s blessings can be found if we only look…