I have been blessed. No doubt. But most of us only consider good things to be a blessing. I think that’s because we are told God has a plan for us. Most people think the plan is a set of directions…turn 1 learn to walk, turn 18 be healthy God centered and go to Yale. Get married to perfect woman. Have healthy kids. When we don’t go to college, or marry someone who isn’t perfect or have sickness…we tell ourselves we aren’t in God’s plan and need to get back on that plan.
The more I look at it, the less sense that makes. God made an imperfect world, and gave us free will. So His idea of perfect in this world was imperfection. His creation was terminal, gonna fall apart, not made to last. Than he made us, beings that have to learn virtue and develop a sense of morality, beings that can justify genocide, but help the victims of our own action and believe our compassion makes us good. If you are an American reading this, our history is filled with injustice but we pride ourselves on being Good.
So then what is the Perfect Plan? How about my plan?When I was young, in a very religious house, and I say that in a positive way, the Gallic house was a vibrant fun Christian house…I was impressed by Solomon asking for wisdom. Of course I wondered over the Bible story of Solomons abandonment of God, it would seem that a wise person would be drawn to God not turn his back on the source of Wisdom. Being unwise I prayed that God would give me wisdom. Take my advice, pray for a content spirit, not wisdom.
You learn wisdom by experience. By being out into situations where you make decisions and have to deal with the consequences. I have gained a lot of wisdom, I have the scars to show you. God’s perfect plan was for me to have a Rollercoaster of a life, filled with every sort of emotion, so that I could look backward and see His plan. I can understand that some of the most trying times in my life, times that I assured myself were the work of Satan, weren’t. Satan can only do what God allows. In the end we decide. We may have been deceived, but God always sends someone or something that shows us the Truth, and if we look back we can see that moment.
Apparently I made one of those decisions and married the wrong person. I tried to make it work, and God tried to make it work by giving us 4 children, blessings that gave us a reason to keep trying. But there came a time where our children were losing their faith. So God pulled the plug. He gave my ex and myself a chance to change, to become better people, to forgive, to turn the other cheek, to show charity, to become good parents. It didn’t seem like a blessing when it happened. In fact I wanted it to be the Devils fault rather than admit I had lost my way. But to learn wisdom, you have to endure trials and temptations. Now I can look and honestly say that God loved me and my ex so much He let us break up and saved our children. I look at my children, adults with healthy relationships, growing families and battle tested faith, and I thank God He stepped in.
Could there have been a better plan? Sure. But I am not perfect and God knew that when He made me. If it wasn’t for a divorce, maybe it would have done something worse. As it was, the divorce made me, a guy who spent six months a year traveling for work, who was a fun business guy who could turn a blind eye to sin. He took that guy and turned me into a guy who goes to church almost everyday, has a million memories with my children, who loves bible studies and can talk confidently about how much God loves me. So while I didn’t see it than, I can see it now.
Blessings are all around us. When we look at a rainy day and a flat tire the same way we see winning the lottery. When we get a sense of anticipation when a seeming misfortune happens because we know that God is going to use that to bless us. Make us stronger and holier. Than we can appreciate the plan.
I hope your plan and God’s plan align, it makes for an exciting life. I can tell you that from experience.
The musings of Peter 