Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.
One of the famous quotes we often hear is, “If you are not planning, you are planning to fail.” I would like to take it a little further and say, “If you are not planning with God in mind, you are setting yourself up for frustration.” The book of Proverbs tells us, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
This means that no matter how good or solid our plans are, it is the Lord who ultimately directs our steps.
But this raises an important question:
What happens when your plans are taking you in direction A, while God is calling you toward direction B?
Matthew 1:18-19 (NIV):
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother, Mary, was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet he did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
Thank God for Joseph for being faithful to the law. However, we sometimes overlook how difficult this situation must have been for him.
Imagine being engaged to someone and suddenly discovering she is pregnant. In that culture, Joseph had every reason to publicly expose Mary. Many people would have assumed she had been unfaithful. After all, who would easily believe the explanation that the pregnancy was by the Holy Spirit?
Yet Joseph chose mercy. His plan was to divorce Mary quietly, protecting her from public shame.
But God had another plan.
When God Interrupts Your Plan
God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to explain what was happening.
What is interesting is that Joseph did not demand proof or ask for multiple signs. When we compare this to Zechariah earlier in the Gospel story, Zechariah asked for assurance when the angel spoke to him.
Joseph could have done the same. It would have been a fair question.
Yet Joseph trusted what God revealed to him.
This reminds us of something important:
God’s plan does not always have to make sense to us.
Sometimes God leads us down paths we never planned, into situations we never expected.
Trusting the Bigger Picture
There will be moments in life when things seem to move in a direction we did not choose.
Careers change. Opportunities disappear. Doors close. Plans collapse.
But if God is involved, we must learn to trust the process.
God always sees the bigger picture.
We plan based on what we can see today.
God directs based on what He already knows about tomorrow.
Sometimes our knowledge, experience, and logic can even become a barrier. The world teaches us to rely only on what we understand, but God’s wisdom often moves beyond our understanding.
Takeaway
When God’s plan doesn’t look like your plan, don’t panic—trust Him.
Your plans are based on limited vision, but God’s plans come from complete understanding. What seems confusing today may be part of a much greater purpose tomorrow.
Just like Joseph, you may not understand every step, but obedience and trust can place you right in the middle of God’s greatest work.
So continue to plan—but always leave room for God to direct your steps.
Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!