When My Plans are Not God’s Plans

Our family loves music. We blast it while we work in the kitchen and while we’re getting ready for church, sing our hearts out on road trips, and I even have a special playlist for my prayer time. 

But there are certain songs that stand out to me because they represent times in my life when the lyrics spoke directly to a specific need and reminded me that God is in control of my destiny. I look back at when my husband was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The song was “Praise You in This Storm” by Casting Crowns. When our church family struggled through a deep valley, it was “I Held On” by Shara McKee. 

A song might be on repeat for days as it ministers to my heart, assuring me of God’s provision and that my situation is not foreign to him. (I mean, someone wrote the words to the song—so this trial isn’t unique to just me.)

Recently, that song for me was “Broken Ladders” by Selah. Let me share part of the lyrics:

You never asked me to be king.  Build my tower up to the sky.

So, why do I try?…

 

…You never asked me to be complete.  By myself, find all I need.

So, why do I try?

 

All you ever wanted was my heart…my heart…my simple heart.

To you, that’s all that really matters. Why do I feel I have to reach?

Believe I have to rise? When you never said I had to climb

These broken ladders.

Why is it that we feel we have to achieve things and reach goals that were never ordained by God for us?

John the Baptist served a vital purpose in God’s plan and was called “more than a prophet” by Jesus. Yet, we don’t have record of him raising a family, he probably never had a best friend, didn’t get to be an active part of Jesus’ ministry, etc. He died a prisoner. Talk about feeling like he missed the boat… But, John knew from childhood what his purpose was and that the calling was great even though he may have had his moments when he felt inconsequential.

Do you ever feel that life is leaving you behind? We look around us at all the opportunities we are missing and wonder why God has kept them from us. 

In our frustration, we take it upon ourselves to start climbing random “ladders” of opportunity to reach higher places and achieve greater things. 

Then, when we face failure after failure or only make it halfway before the dream crumbles under us and we land right back where we started, we are devastated and disillusioned.

Because it was OUR plan—not God’s. 

As the words of the song point out, WE are the ones that feel that we have to obtain a certain goal in life in order for us to feel successful. God warned us in his word that “…my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…” (Isaiah 55:8). 

That’s hard to swallow. Somewhere in your life, you will have to decide if you will follow God’s plan—even if he asks you to fade into obscurity in order for his glory to stand in the forefront—or whether you will force your way onto the stage and demand the spotlight, at the risk of falling on your face in shame in the aftermath.

Through all your dreams of grandeur and need for accolades and prosperity, God’s vision for you is simple: He just wants your heart…your simple heart.

Enjoy this live version of “Broken Ladders” by Selah: