Session 5

What happens when your plans fall apart?

From 1 Samuel: A 6-Week Devotional

A plan is a set of actions designed to achieve a goal. While having a plan makes us feel accomplished, sometimes the best thing that can happen to our well-laid plans is a halting interruption — especially when our plans don’t align with God’s plans.

In 1 Samuel 29, the Philistine army was planning to attack the Israelites, with David and his men bringing up the rear. However, Philistine leaders were suspicious of David’s intentions, remembering that David had once fought against them as an officer of King Saul. Fearing David would turn against them mid-fight, Philistine leaders ordered David to return home.

David was upset when his plans were abruptly interrupted (1 Samuel 29:8), but what David saw as unfair was actually God’s protection on his life. God used the Philistine commanders’ suspicion to keep David from having to fight his own people. By intervening, God protected David from facing a serious moral dilemma.

Romans 8:28 says, “... in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This promise was proven true in David’s life, and if you are in Christ, this promise is true for you, too.  

Like David, we’ve all experienced having our plans abruptly cancelled. It leaves us wondering, “Why?” But what if our busted plans are God’s way of rescuing us from a difficult or dangerous situation like He did with David?

God works in our lives through opening and closing opportunities. He is working in our lives for our good even when we do not understand it. Despite how difficult or disappointing our situation seems, God can make a way to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Reflect:

• When making plans, do you trust God with the outcome? Why or why not?
• What’s one area of your life where you’re currently making plans and need to ask God for input? Will you do that now?
• Think back to a time when your plans fell apart. What are one to two blessings that would not have happened if things had gone according to plan?