What If Challenging Circumstances Are Not Interruptions But Plans?

We expend great effort to prevent or reduce suffering and hardship for ourselves and others we care about. 

We like things easy and comfortable, and preferably, pain free. 

But what if those challenging circumstances are part of the plan for our lives, not interruptions to that plan? And what if we truly believe that? What would that mean for how we live?

God’s Fingerprints

Before I knew how intimately the Lord was connected and involved in my daily life, I felt obligated/entitled to make life about me. 

I strove to make it work and work the way I thought it should. And when it didn’t, negative emotions swirled.

Eventually I realized God isn’t only concerned about my eternal salvation upon exiting this earth. He has His fingerprints on the events of my days spent here as well.

God isn't only concerned with our eternal salvation. He also has His fingerprints on the events of our days. Click To Tweet

That realization dramatically shifted my focus.

What if life wasn’t supposed to be easy?

What if I wasn’t supposed to be in control? What if the current hard thing was the plan?

What if I lived like I truly believed God when He said His grace was sufficient and He had only good plans for me?

What if it’s not all about me and what I can do, but really all about God and what He wants to do through me?

In my biblical understanding, God is intimately involved in each of our lives. Therefore, everything we face each day has either come by, or been filtered through, His hands.

In His sovereignty, He could prevent the pain, the sorrow, the hard. But He often chooses not to. That means none of it is accidental.

Our circumstances may be unpleasant,

or difficult,

or even downright impossible in our own strength, but they are never under God’s radar.

Circumstances may be unpleasant, difficult, or even impossible in our strength, but they're never under God's radar. Click To Tweet

Shaped

Scripture tells us that the messiness of life—complicated decisions, difficult relationships, health concerns—it’s all being used to shape us into a closer image of Christ.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” James 1:2-3

We are to shine His light, to reflect Him. But to do that, we need to grow more like Him, to emulate Him.

Life’s challenges help to accomplish that. They press us nearer to God, helping us see His character more clearly, and, in turn, take on more of His character traits.

Left to guide my own steps, I’d steer far clear of the pressure cookers and refiners. Since life would be about me, there would be little if any character growth.

His Plan

God created us with emotions, insight, knowledge, and the ability to plan and think. That makes it incredibly difficult for us to yield to another, especially when such yielding means a plan different from our own (and one we don’t particularly like).

Pain/hard circumstances are never what we want, but then life is not really about us, is it?

The plan for our lives is about the Creator, not so much about the created.

The plan for our lives is about the Creator, not so much about the created. Click To Tweet

When we let Him have control of our lives—as Creator, Author, Redeemer, and Guide—we find the meaning and freedom we’ve been longing for.

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Reflections: If where you are in life is what God has for you at this time, how does that change how you live?

I’m thrilled to link up with Suzie Eller for #livefreeThursday and this week’s prompt, “out of my control.” I love these special linkups. They provide an abundance of great inspiration and encouragement all in one place. Click on the images below to check them out.

By His grace ≈

Julie