Want to hear something funny? Make a plan for your life. Draw up a big blueprint, map out everything you want to do, and how you’re going to accomplish it, and read it aloud. Now laugh, because God will.

 “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” ― Woody Allen

We all know that our plan isn’t always the plan that God has for us. However, we often confuse that idea. Sometimes, we have dreams and desires in our hearts that we want to pursue, but when our plans don’t work out, and God tells us no, we take that “no” as a “never”, when it could really mean “not right now”. Think about it this way. You have a desire to eat Chick-fil-a for lunch, so you plan to drive down the street to get it. You get in your car and drive all the way to the restaurant only to realize that it’s Sunday, and Chick-fil-a is closed. Does this mean you can never have Chick-fil-a? No. It just means you have to wait until Monday, when they’re open.

Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart -Psalm 37:4

If you have a passion for something and it just won’t go away, chances are, God placed that desire in your heart. You may have a plan to bring that passion to life, but maybe God’s plan is different. See, God’s plan isn’t to keep you from your desire, it’s just a different route to get there that will better prepare you for it. For example, one of my life goals has always been to get married and have a family. I desire that so much, that when I was in school and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would often say I wanted to be a stay at home mom. True story! This is something I have wanted more than any career or job, and it seems like such a simple goal. However, at 26, despite trying to make my own plans, I still haven’t reached it.

I always said I would be married by 23 and have my first child by 25. After getting engaged at 22, I was right on track with MY plan! Then, at 23 God threw me a curve ball. I had ended my engagement, and became a single woman for the first time in my adult life. This was HIS plan. However, the desire to be a wife and a mother never went away! To make things even harder, I’m surrounded by women my age who have already achieved this goal. Some are working on their second or third child, and some are on their second or third husband (LOL). I pray my way out of that discouragement. I know that it’s going to happen, but if it would have happened at 23, like I planned, I would probably be writing this post as a divorced woman. God knew I wasn’t ready. I have all of the faith in the world that my dreams will come to pass, but on God’s time, and in his perfectly laid out plan for Jamie’s life (and no one else’s).

If I had to make a map of my plan vs God’s it might look like this:

Right now, you may be facing a situation that’s causing you to question your goals. Take this time to reevaluate your desires, pray about them, and find out if they are truly from God. If so, hold tight to your faith and know that you’re going to reach your destination. God’s route for you is just a little different, but it will be totally worth it! Like I’ve said before, just faith it until you make it, because you WILL make it!