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
A while ago I was on a trip with a few people from my old school, and Among them there was a guy I dated more than five years ago, before I was saved. I did not exclude him simply because we have not thought about each other for so many years, and it does not bother me anymore whether he exists or not. He is not a believer, so feel free to picture some standardize person who sees himself as the smartest and everyone else should bow down to him. It is not that he is a criminal or I am trying to paint him ultra-black, but at this point there are only two types of people in my eyes – those who live their lives for Christ, and those who live their lives for themselves. Of course he is the latter type.
One day I felt completely mad and wordless at this guy’s ignorance and pride, and all I could say was, “I am so glad that I am not married to you!” Then I thought back, five years ago when we were still dating, hadn’t I once thought that it would be great to marry him? Now I am SO glad that God did NOT think that was a good idea back then.
Lately I have been learning to trust God’s purpose even when it does not make sense to us. I have been telling myself over and over again, even if there is something that would not make sense to me until the day I get to heaven (like the purpose of Job’s suffering was not revealed to him until he got to heaven, yet it served as such an encouraging example for all of us and brought so much glory to God), I shall still believe that God did it for a good purpose, and it did bring glory to Him in ways I could not see on earth. Yet it is so comforting that most times, His good purposes do not take us forever to understand. What I longed to have five years ago, now I am so glad that God did not give it to me at that time. It did not take until I get to heaven to see this clearly, that God had protected me by not giving me what I wanted at the time I wanted.
I have been struggling with God’s will of moving me from a city I like and feel comfortable with, to a town in the middle of nowhere since the year of 2008. Although some lights have been shed onto this, I still do not think the middle of nowhere was the best place I could have been in these two years. I believed that God’s plan is THE BEST though, even if I still do not feel that way now. I have been telling myself that even if I would not understand this particular part of His plan until I get to heaven, I would still trust in His goodness. But maybe this would not take so long? Maybe five years is all that it takes for me to see clearly how good He was when He made that plan for me? Maybe in three more years I would be thanking Him so much that he did not allow my way when I wanted to stay in that comfortable city?
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