Preparation, Perseverance, and God's Plan: When Your Plan Doesn't Cut It

Here's a fun fact about me: I am a Type-A person. Type A and Type B personality theory describes two contrasting personality types. In this theory, personalities that are more competitive, highly organized, ambitious, impatient, highly aware of time management and/or aggressive are labeled Type A, while more relaxed personalities are labeled Type B.

Being so hyper organized and detail oriented has always been a blessing for me. It's just the way my brain operates. I can tell you how long it going to take me to get to the gas station and hit the ATM (barring a line), down to the very minute. Running late gives me anxiety. And being on time for things? If you tell me 4pm, I will religiously be there by 3:40pm, trying to find out what I missed. I can't help it. I've always been this way. And its worked for me.

For the most part.

In the past few years, my life has taken a few turns for the better---a thriving blog, modeling gigs and shows left and right, sponsorships, collaborations, international flights, the list goes on. Saying that I was prepared for this elevation in my life would be a lie. I didn't know that I was going to be here.

We all have plans for ourselves. This could be a plan for the day, week, month, or even the next year. We have plans for our fitness, as well as plans for eating right and drinking more water. We have plans on finding our Boaz and finding family, or even a plan to cut off relationships (romantic or platonic) altogether.

Sometimes these plans are written down.
Sometimes they're just in our head, without any concrete bullet points or planners to accompany them.
We all do it. Whether its the Type-A or Type-B way.

One thing I've learned about "planning" as a child of God is that my planning holds the assumption that I'm in control. It holds the assumption that my successful planning puts me as the front runner of accolades or praise for getting it right. Do you remember that saying from Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith of the A-Team? "I love it when a good plan comes together." We automatically feel these overwhelming sense of pride when we painstakingly plan something and it...works out?!

The adrenaline rush of making it happen.
The relief in it being over.
The determination as we play with the thought of doing it again.

On the flip side of that is the fear, anger, and disappointment we feel when things just don't work out.

THAT is where I learned I am just a passenger in the grand scheme of things. A few of my brothers and sisters in the Bible could definitely empathize with these feelings as well.You guys know I'm into annotated versions of Bible stories, so look for the corresponding Bible books and scriptures to follow.

Joseph-Sold by His Brothers into Slavery (Genesis 37)

God really messed up Joseph’s life plan. His brothers threw him into a dry well, then sold him into slavery. The wife of his Egyptian master tried to seduce him. When he refused her advances, she turned him over to the Egyptian cops, who then tossed him in prison. He spent years in prison, waiting to be released. I don’t imagine that Joseph included prison time in his life plan. Finally, after many years of painful waiting, God exalted him to the second in command in all of Egypt.

Abraham and Sarah

God really messed up Abraham and Sarah’s life plan. He allowed Sarah to be infertile and barren for years. He took them out of their homeland, away from their family and friends. Finally, after the couple waited earnestly for many years, God promised them a son. Then God made them wait some more. Finally, their hopes and dreams were realized when their son Isaac was born. Then God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Talk about a wrench in the life plan. 

After God rescued Isaac, and all was said and done, God made the following astonishing declaration to Abraham:

“By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:16–18)

The "monkey wrench" list could go on. These were firm believers in the Lord. People who trusted His will and way at every step. So as I increase my prayer life and my reading I just ask God to give me the spirit of trust. To help me to let go of my need to control variables around me. Because...sometimes you can do all you can in the flesh, and He has a better plan for you in the Spirit.

My prayer today:

Father God, I thank you for the blessings you have bestowed on me thus far. I thank you for your never ending  love and adoration for me, that you have loved me so deeply to provide me with all of the things my heart never knew I wanted. I beg your forgiveness for all of the times I tried to snatch the driver's wheel out of your hands, as you rode this unsafe vehicle (my plans) into safer terrain (your plans). I ask that you forgive me when I forget what your word states in Ephesians 3:20

                            "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly

abundantly above all that we

ask or think,

according to the power that works in us,"

I thank you God for being the first and final say in every step of my life. And I thank you for being a better planner than I could ever be. 

Faithfully,

Brieana