Session 26

Is God part of your plan?

From Numbers: A 5-Week Devotional

Are you a planner? You know the type — the person who plans vacations down to the minute, separates the grocery list by departments, and keeps a running list of lifelong goals.

There is nothing wrong with planning. In fact, the Bible talks a lot about the benefits of preparation. But there is also the reality that life events don’t often go as we expect. What happens to our faith when life doesn’t go as planned?  

Numbers 26 picks up 38 years after the first census was recorded. In the first census, the Israelites counted the men 20 years and older to determine their military strength to enter the promised land. They were ready for battle and fully prepared to enter their new land together. Unfortunately, this isn’t what happened.   

In those 38 years, every Israelite over age 20, with the exception of Caleb, Joshua, and Moses, had died. They had disobeyed God and were not allowed to enter Canaan. Instead, they spent 40 years wandering in the desert (Numbers 14:23-34). Talk about things not going as planned!

If you think about Israel’s story, it is nothing short of a miracle. A nation of people moved from one land to another, lost its entire adult population, and yet managed to maintain its spiritual direction. Even in adversity, Israel’s leaders kept their focus on God and He brought them where they needed to be.

The same principle holds true for us today. God has a plan and purpose for each of our lives, just like He did for Israel. We are all on a journey to a “promised land.” And if we’re not careful, we can get so caught up in getting there that we miss the miracle of getting there.

Our lives may not be what we expected, and that’s OK. God doesn’t promise us a life without thwarted plans, but He does promise to be with us — to guide us and provide for us — every step along the way.  

Reflect:

• Is there an area of your life where your plans have become more important than God’s direction? What’s one step you can take this week to realign your plans with God’s direction?
• How do you normally react when things don’t go according to plan? What is one step you need to take this week to trust God when things don’t go as expected?