I'm a planner, it's what I do. I have a hard time with "just going with the flow" or planning last minute, especially during the week. So it would be no surprise that I like to have a plan for my life as well (eek!). It's typically the usual- school, where to live, who to date (Josh Hutcherson), etc.etc.etc. Yet it feels like whenever I make plans, Heavenly Father laughs. And yes, we have all heard that phrase before, but, really, how can we plan when we don't know?
Having true faith is like walking blind into the forest, all you know is that you are surrounded by a bunch of trees- not very helpful. In that moment though, that is our reality. God calls us to have faith, to trust, and endure to the end, but I think sometimes, we don't complete understand what that means. In my life I have been tested far beyond what I think I can bear. I have been pushed both physically and emotionally, have been pulled in so many directions I felt like my head would pop off, I have felt like I have no idea what I'm doing with my life. And then it hit me, I don't. I don't know where I am going to be in a few months let alone in a few years. My God does though. He knows exactly what I am going to do, what mistakes I will make, who I will marry, how many kids I will have, and the life I will led. So, why is it so important for us to have a plan if He already knows?
Like I said, I plan, so you could say I am a control freak (maybe a little..) We like to plan because we want to be able to avoid the mistakes, the heart break, and the obstacles that could come our way. We want to hurt as least as possible, we want control over what happens in our lives. Reality: we aren't in control. And this seems to be a topic I bring up quite a bit, but as my life constantly changes I realize more and more how even if MY plan doesn't happen, HIS will. Pain is going to happen, obstacles will always be there, that is never going to change. However, it is the way we approach them that can change anything.
This gospel is an every day gospel. Every day we need to get up and yes to our Heavenly Father, we need to say to ourselves that we are worth fighting for, we need to understand that our lives have value- even if it's not what we expected. Let's face it, a lot of our lives turn out not how we expected them too. When we are going through trials we don't see a good outcome in our future and for me at least I constantly ask: "WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS?" And like most times, He doesn't respond to my winning. Every challenge we face has a point. Every single one. And every single day we need to try to find that point, try to find that value in what we are going through. Every day. This gospel is an every day gospel.
Heavenly Father has never promised us that this life will be pain free or easy, but He has promised us that it is worth it. I have learned that our plans never measure up to His. And as hard as it is for me, especially me, I know that my faith and testimony are strong enough to overcome. And so are yours. We just have to tell ourselves every day that we are worth more than what we feel like. We are worth more than we can even imagine. So, what kind of plan do you want? Yours or His?
