Finding Peace in God’s Plans

Joy Penner – Pastoal Intern

John 16: 5-6

Halfway through grade 9 my family had to move cities and I was not happy about it. I had been hoping to spend the next few years with my friends in a place that I already knew and loved. I couldn’t understand why God would have different plans for me when my original plan seemed pretty great already. I cried a lot for the first couple of months because I was lonely, but in that time God taught me how to lean on Him and seek Him for comfort. Eventually He also provided me with good friends and experiences I never could have planned for myself.

In our scripture today Jesus’ plans were different from that of His disciples. They wanted Him to stay on earth and lead them and they were sad when Jesus told them He was going away. But they didn’t realize that Jesus’ plan was so much better than their own.

“I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to Him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.” John 16:4b-6

Think about a time when God did not work the way that you expected Him to. Were you disappointed or sad that God was not doing what you wanted Him to do? Or were you able to see how He had good plans that were different from your own?

Let’s pray to God that even when life doesn’t go our way that we can hope in God’s good plans for us that are even better than our own. Let’s pray for peace when things don’t go the way we planned and peace in the knowledge that His plans are better than ours.

We praise you, Jesus, for coming into the world and saving us in a way that we never could have planned or expected. Your ways are so much better than our ways, thank you for working in our lives!

We confess our tendency to despair and doubt you, Lord, when life does not go the way we planned it.

Help us to rest in the PEACE that you have good plans for us, even when they are unexpected. You know every step we take in this life and you have gone to the Father to make a place for us, so we don’t need to worry but can have peace in your plans.

Help us to put our HOPE in your good plans rather than our own. Help us to lean on you when things don’t go our way and seek how you are working even in the disappointments. And may our HOPE always be in your eternal plans for our salvation and your glory.