“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Trust in the Lord’s Providence!
Our daughter alerted us a few weeks in advance whenever she needed us to watch her pups. Since we did not hear from her, my wife and I booked a room for the long 4th of July weekend.
On the night before our out-of-town trip, we received a phone call. “Dad, I need a favor,” said my daughter. “Can you watch the pups over the weekend?” She described the emergency at her house; we cancelled our long-weekend plans.
A blessing in disguise, as the old saying goes, when we received the phone call from her that evening. As it turned out, the news reported the following morning that a brush fire had erupted at the resort we planned to visit. Deaths reported. Authorities ordered visitors to turn back. Those who drove up a day earlier became stranded because of the many road closures.
We enjoyed our time with the pups over the 4th of July weekend. And we were certainly grateful that God stepped in and juggled our weekend plans.
In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul calls us to offer grateful thanks to our heavenly Father in all things, for he knows this is the will of God concerning each of us. In other words, trust the Lord’s providence. The unforeseen changes to our plans often reveal the work of the Lord. He works this way sometimes.
With trust and faith, we will come to praise him for putting up those barriers. He sees what we cannot see—the threatening tinder fires ahead. God closes roads for justified reasons and will never reopen them a moment too soon.
Lord, help me to trust in your providence when unforeseen circumstances force me to change plans. And give me the strength to resist the temptation to push headlong when you signal roads closed ahead. Amen.
God often disrupts our plans and, sometimes, he allows us to see why. Have you recently given thanks to the Lord for the unexpected?
By Doug Lim
Used by Permission
Further Reading
• Why Worry Yourself Sick? – by Muriel Larson
SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL: FOLLOW THIS LINK