God's Plan for You

I was out taking a walk one warm evening several years ago. My heart felt so heavy. I was praying, begging, God to show me “His Will” for my life. That ultimate, seemingly elusive plan that He had for me. “What big thing can I do for you, Lord?! Just show me! I’m ready! I’ll say YES! Please show me Your will.….” And what followed was silence.

I know there have been people who have prayed such a prayer and God has answered in big ways. But that isn’t my story.

My story is about quiet and growing slowly in the dark places. Like a seed in the earth.

Isn’t that exciting?! Ha!

But I think that was part of the problem. I wanted exciting!! I was told God had “big plans for me” and I translated that into “there is one big exciting awesome plan that God specifically designed you for and it is your job to go find that one big plan (DON’T MISS IT!! Your life will be a waste if you do!!) and execute that plan and when you do, your life will be exciting and fulfilled.”

But y’all. Being a stay-at-home-mom to four daughters out on the farm was not exactly everyday “exciting.” It was hard…and exhausting. And changing diapers and cleaning up Cheerios and drowning in mountains of laundry sure didn’t feel like kingdom work. I wasn’t going to bed every night thinking how fulfilling my work that day had been.

(Oh, Pinterest, you are hilarious!) So I prayed that God would show me “His Will”…His Big Plan…why He created me! And the answer was quiet.

Because it turns out, He didn’t create me to DO. What He wanted for my life was for me to BE with Him. Simple, quiet growing. Instead of giving me tasks, God gave me love. He tore down some areas in my life that were built on sand. And He rebuilt on the solid Rock. He walked me through storms. He chiseled away at my heart. He opened my eyes and closed His arms in embrace. He taught me His heart. And then slowly, ever so slowly, that love has started to overflow into what I do.

Bob Goff has a new book releasing this April titled Everybody, Always. He recently posted this quote from the book:

I love that. It’s so simple. We aren’t going to miss THE plan for our lives. HE is the plan!! He is our fulfillment. Perhaps, like me, you need to hear it too. God has a plan for your life, and I know what it is. Love Him. Seek Him. Walk close to Him. Let Him work in the quiet, dark places. Trust Him. He will guide your steps. And then let that Love overflow on everyone around you. If we are doing that, we are doing alright.