The Plans God Has for Us

“Don’t seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will—then your life will flow well.” ~Epictetus

One day, a married friend shared a thought that has since stuck with me. The couple was expecting their first child and, when she told me of her pregnancy, I asked, "Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?”

She answered with a smile that sent a glimmer to her eyes, “I’m happy with whatever God gives me.”

It dawned on me that my friend’s mindset starkly contrasts that of so many. We’re quick to expect specific outcomes for our lives, establish timelines for many of life’s bigger events, and set expectations for everything to come to fruition in accordance with them. We swiftly exchange a humble “if” for a confident “when.” 

“When I get married…”
“When I have kids…”
“When I get this job…”

An issue with this line of thinking is that entitlement becomes a reflex. As scary as the thought may be to ponder, what if we weren’t meant to have these things? Perhaps we are meant to have them, yet a posture of expectation leads to a lack of gratitude when the gift is granted. If we receive what we already anticipated, how can we be grateful for it? Rather, if we enter into life with no expectation other than to serve God within our unique spheres, any gift that comes along the way--whether it be marriage, children, or a dream occupation--our hearts instantly fill with thankfulness.

Stoic Philosopher Epictetus sums up this mindset beautifully: “Don’t seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will—then your life will flow well.”

What if we approached life not with hands outstretched, but with hearts outpoured? What if we thought not of what the world can offer us, but of what we can offer back to glorify and serve God?

As the well-known Bible verse states: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). God ensures that He has a plan for our lives; we’re not told what it is or what exactly it entails. Perhaps we’re not meant to know the specifics of God’s plan. Perhaps we’re not meant to fill in details. We know that God is in the process of building a mosaic for our lives, yet the individual tessera is unknown to us. 

Creating too many expectations puts us at the helm of control. Our lives are meant to be lived out for God’s purpose, not our own. Perhaps He wants us to remain open to whatever that means and whatever He has in store for us. We are meant to offer our lives as a “living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God”, for it is our true and proper worship (Romans 12:1).

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Photocred: Unsplash