Last week we learned how to shake off fear in order to prevent adding fear to the mix. This week, as promised, I’d like to explore the test Abraham faced in regard to his only son Isaac. Remember in the lesson on tithing, Opening the Windows of Heaven, Principle #5?
When God asked Abraham for his son, he did not withhold him; as a result, God tells him, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me . . . because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you . . .” (Genesis 22:12, 17).
So often when God reveals something He has for our future, we go into panic mode, again due to “leaning” when we consider the details or ramifications of what He’s asked us to do. Or it could be because we have our own plans and His plan simply doesn’t line up with it.
Let’s start with the latter, when what He’s revealed or called us to or circumstances He’s put us in just does not line up with what we planned, what we are adamant we want.
Recently within our ministry team, I’ve witnessed this very thing. Often brides who adore their HH struggle with having their future “open ended”—allowing Him to plan it. In one such situation He had me observe (but say nothing) when He had shown me His plan long before He’d revealed it to His bride. And His plan, I could see, would lead to blessings I could never have imagined! Ephesians 3:20 TLB “Now glory be to God, who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.” He had me draft the email sharing the details with her, His plan, His outrageous blessings, but asked me to wait to send it.
Sadly, I never got to send it to her. Instead, just a tiny portion of what He showed to me actually happened. It fell short of what He gloriously wanted to do for her. It didn’t happen because panic ensued. We understand how this can happen, don’t we. Who of us hasn’t also dealt with our sense of urgency winning in the end. So, for her, in the end, He gave her the desire of her heart, her plan, but it fell terribly short and far less than what I saw He had planned for her.
Interestingly, as I continue watching and listening to different conversations, I’ve witnessed as her plan wasn’t as “perfect” as she’d hoped it would be. That’s only because His plan is perfect, ours can never be.
We see this played out each time a rejected woman who’s hurting finds RMI. Her plan is always wanting God to restore her marriage, but it’s only those who are brave enough, due to experiencing His love, who are able to let go and want His perfect plan. 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
When we really truly believe that our HH loves us and wants the absolute best for us, it’s only then that we are able to let go of our plan and embrace His plan for our lives. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
Why didn’t He just have me share His plan with this bride? Surely if she saw the plan she’d willingly let go of her own and embrace His, which is what we will mull over next week.
The moment I read the verse: “When God asked Abraham for his son, he did not withhold him; as a result, God tells him, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me . . . because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you . . .” (Genesis 22:12, 17) it immediatly reminded me of my custody battle (https://narrowroadpublishinghouse.com/rjn-adina/).
Losing custody was not part of my plan, and when it happened, I desperately wanted to fight for my “plans”. But after I got to a point of surrendering my plans for my Beloved’s, He gave me this exact verse, and I knew deep in my heart that He’s got this, that He has a plan and that He will come through for me just like He did for Abraham. And after waiting mor than a year, He turned everything around for good.
The most important thing I’ve learned from the custody battle is to surrender our plans, our future to our Beloved, who has amazing plans for us.
For years and years I just wanted a restored marriage and I have to admit I had a fear of letting go. And yes I have to admit I had my own plans not even asking my Darling Lord if my plans lined up with His plans. I ended up getting hurt over and over and over because of my own plans until I couldn’t do it anymore and gave up and over to the Lord. The moment I gave over my Darling Lord took over, He became my Husband and showed me that I have every reason to trust Him. His plans are truly really perfect and over and over my plans proved they can never ever be perfect!
If you are like me and wanted nothing else than a restored marriage and tried everything to get it but failed, I want to ask you what have you got to loose? So I want to encourage you to take that chance and let go. Trust our Darling Lord’s plans, allow Him to become your Heavenly Husband and experience His love like never ever before and embrace His plan for your life, THE ABSOLUTE BEST EVER!
“Leave everything you do in God’s hands, and your plans will come true.” Proverbs 16:3
On my journey, I have realized that getting to know the Lord in my day-to-day life, and seeing how He acts with me regarding the things we talk about. His way of always being willing and attentive to my prayers has allowed me to develop that confidence in who He is and therefore trust in His love for me, by experiencing not only that but His way of doing things, [His advice] always results in blessing and in something much better than what I did that brought me destruction and pain, it filled me with more confidence that His plans are undoubtedly better than mine, and that is why I have already lived, that I can today release my plans and desires in His hands with the confidence that HE knows better than I do what I need and what is best for me.
This is what makes my prayer not to ask for everything I want but to ask Him what He wants, to share with Him what I would like and to leave it to His decision. That way He knows my heart too and then I align myself with His plan according to His answer. In this I find that the relationship with Him is special, not condemning or demanding, because He is so sweet as to take my desire into consideration, and many times that is what He gives me, the desire of my heart.
What is His plan for me? What is my plan? Have I given it to Him? Reading this week’s lesson brought up all of these questions. Whatever His plan is for me, that is the Perfect One.
I have had plans and goals in my life, goals for which I planned and I even achieved them, and although I asked Him for help, I never completely let go of my plans and desires in His hands, I always held back because I always thought I could do it with my own strength, I did not think that what He had planned for me was the best. At that point in my life I did not know what I know now, I did not know what Ephesians 3:20 says, “And now all glory to God, who is able to accomplish immeasurably more than all we could ask or even imagine, through His mighty power at work within us.” https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians%203%3A20&version=NT
One of my goals was to have a family, what did I know about taking care of my family? I did not know what my role was exactly, I thought that with my own strength and with my own hands I could hold everything, thank God my Beloved that today I know that without Him I am nothing and that I can let go of everything and trust in His hands and be sure that whatever happens will be His plan and therefore it will be the best for me. I have learned to say “if He allows it, it is because He has a plan” saying it and believing it and living it is what will make us live in confidence and Faith knowing that He does not fail and even if we do not see His plan we know that all good things come from Him, and if HE allows it in my life it is because He has a plan for me.
Romans 8:28 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%208%3A28&version=NTV
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose for them. ”
Now I trust everything to HIM!!!!
One of the things l learned early on is to let go of my plans to embrace His in my life. lf l think back to when l was younger l had so many hopes and dreams for my life that never came to be, it was disappointing. lt was only when l became a child of God that I starting seeing that His plan was the best and starting letting go of mine for His and found that HE never dissapoints me.
And l have to say its only since l let go of all my plans that l have been happiest and most content 💝