Our Plans -vs.- God’s Plans

When I was in Junior High, I had my life completely planned out. I was going to graduate high school, go to college in Massachusetts, and get a degree in Marine Biology. I wanted to work with Humpback Whales and what better place could there be than Wood’s Hole. I became obsessed with Massachusetts even going so far as to claim to be a fan of the Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins. There’s more. I was going to get my PhD in Marine Biology by the time I was 26. I was going to get engaged at 28, married at 30 and start having kids, of which there would be six- 3 boys and 3 girls (I like symmetry!), starting with twins- 1 girl and 1 boy (I have a fascination with twins). My family and I were going to live in Massachusetts in a large Victorian house by the sea and we were going to live happily ever after! These were my plans and when I was in Junior High, I was absolutely convinced that if I believed in it enough that it was going to come true, that it would be exactly like I planned in my head.

By the time I was 16, the Marine Biology dream had faded, as dreams sometimes do. That part of the dream had ended, at least, the rest was still pretty in tact. I don’t know what occupation took its place, but school and lots of it were definitely part of the new dream. But I was still absolutely convinced that because I wanted it so badly, it would all happen, just like I dreamed. Well, it turns out, that God has had other plans for me, and if you don’t know it yet, let me tell you, God’s plans trump our plans. Sometimes, we’re lucky enough to have our plans coincide with his, but if they don’t- look out! No amount of pushing, screaming, hard-work, pleading will make them pan out if it’s not what God wants for us. It’s just that simple. God will guide us to where we ought to be, but that’s if we listen. If we don’t listen, if we choose to keep beating our heads upon the wall, then that’s when we stagnate; we get stuck- sometimes it almost seems as if we begin to rot, spiritually.

So, am I saying that we should never make plans, that we should drift on the universal tide that is God’s will? No. As humans, we need to make plans. They drive us, make us get out of bed and go to work and do all of the things that we feel that we have to do, and as I said, if they’re meant to, they come to fruition. If they’re not meant to, they have an amazing way of just fizzling out and some people are left with the feeling that they would have been better off beating they’re heads against that wall. And we do have free will after all, which means that we are allowed to choose our plans, the direction in which we would like our lives to go, and God will be there to guide us along. God’s pretty busy, but ultimately, I think that all God really wants for us is to find our way to contentment and He knows us far better than we know ourselves, which is why we’ll get tossed some divine curve balls every now and again, ensuring that our plans coincide with His plans for us.

Andrea Szymanski