Plans Disrupted 打乱计划
Dexu Xia
Plans Disrupted
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21
Jane’s plans to become a speech therapist ended when an internship revealed the job was too emotionally challenging for her. Then she was given the opportunity to write for a magazine. She’d never seen herself as an author, but years later she found herself advocating for needy families through her writing. “Looking back, I can see why God changed my plans,” she says. “He had a bigger plan for me.”
The Bible has many stories of disrupted plans. On his second missionary journey, Paul had sought to bring the gospel into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus stopped him (Acts 16:6–7). This must have seemed mystifying: Why was Jesus disrupting plans that were in line with a God-given mission? The answer came in a dream one night: Macedonia needed him even more. There, Paul would plant the first church in Europe. Solomon also observed, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
It’s sensible to make plans. A well-known adage goes, “Fail to plan, and you plan to fail.” But God may disrupt our plans with His own. Our challenge is to listen and obey, knowing we can trust God. If we submit to His will, we’ll find ourselves fitting into His purpose for our lives.
As we continue to make plans, we can add a new twist: Plan to listen. Listen to God’s plan.
How can you submit your plans to God today? How can you listen to His plans?
All-knowing God, give me the faith to listen to You when my plans are disrupted, knowing that You have a greater purpose for my life.
打乱计划
人心多有计谋，惟有耶和华的筹算，才能立定。—箴言19章21节
珍芳本来计划当语言治疗师，但因一份实习工作而改变主意，她发现治疗师的工作会严重影响她的情绪。不久，她得到机会为某本杂志撰稿。她从未想到能当个作家，但几年后，她藉着写作为有需要的家庭发声。她说：“回顾过往，我看到上帝为何改变我的计划。因祂对我有更大的计划。”
圣经也记载了许多计划被打乱的事情。保罗在第二次宣教之旅中，本想去庇推尼传福音，但耶稣的灵却加以阻止（使徒行传16章6-7节）。这可能令人不解，为何耶稣要打乱符合上帝心意的宣教计划呢？答案出现在某天晚上保罗的梦中，马其顿人更需要他。在马其顿，保罗将会建立欧洲的第一个教会。所罗门也早已观察到：“人心里的谋算很多，唯有耶和华的计划能实现。”（箴言19章21节）
制订计划是合情合理的。有句英文古语说：“没有计划，就准备失败！”但上帝可能会用祂的计划打乱我们的计划，而我们面对的挑战是聆听与顺服，知道我们可以信靠上帝。若我们顺服上帝的旨意，我们将会在祂为我们生命所订的计划中，找到自己的定位。
当我们继续制订计划时，不妨加入一个新的想法：“好好聆听上帝的计划。”
全知的上帝，请赐我信心，让我在自己的计划被打乱时，仍能全心倚靠祢，知道祢对我的生命有更大的计划。
今天你要如何将心中的筹划交给上帝？你如何听从祂的计划？