Good Plan

Before I begin, let me say that this post is really for me. Hopefully I will work through some personal issues. And, if it just so happens to help you today, glory be to God. So enjoy my mass insanity and excessive hold onto childhood, maybe I’ll say something profound.

As I lay awake in my bed last night pondering the deep mysteries of the world (yeah, right), I remembered a movie I watched last night. You remember that old Disney Channel Movie (yeah, this is what I’m doing with my summer-watching DCOMS on youtube), Miracle in Lane 2? The one about the kid with spina bifida who wanted to drive in the soap box derby and ended up winning a national championship? It was played by Frankie Muniz, depicting a real-life boy named Justin Yoder (ff you absolutely don’t know what I’m talking about, google it and read the synopsis).

In the very first scene of the movie, he daydreams he is speaking to God (played by a fictional NASCAR driver, Bobby Wade) and asks Him if He messed up when making him. Justin is paralyzed from the waist down, can’t control his bodily functions, if you know what I mean, and if he gets too much spinal fluid backed up in his brain, he can die within seconds if not taken to the hospital immediately. Justin assumes that he is a mistake; that God messed up when He made him. Well, God immediately turns around from working on a car with a shirt on that says “I don’t make mistakes.”

At the end of the movie, after he makes it to the final race for the big trophy and wins, he goes back to another scene with God. I think it was the most beautiful line in the movie. Justin simply says, “good plan.” I cried (ok, so I may be a little more emotional than I care to admit).

The reason I cried, though I’m sure Disney Channel was not trying to intentionally do this, is because I started getting super-duper mad at God last night and over the past few months. I see people my age changing the world. They are doing international mission trips, camps, community service, and lots of other AWESOME stuff.  I end up in these deep conversations with God saying “remember me? Surely you’ve forgotten me over here. Don’t you have something for ME to do? I mean, you must have forgotten me. What else could it be? When I try to do stuff, you tell me that’s not what I’m supposed to do. Well, PLEASE let me do SOMETHING! PLEASE!!!!”

Then, this movie put me in my place (God moves in VERY mysterious ways). One day, I’m going to say “good plan, God.” He doesn’t make mistakes (I do-believe me). But, no matter how insignificant I feel, one day, I’m going to look back and say “good plan.” I can’t wait for that day. 

I like plans. I like having plans, executing plans, then looking back and saying “that was a really good plan.” Me without a plan isn’t good. I end up looking like a crazed fool that should be instituted (pictured below).

But there’s good news and bad news for people like me. The good news: God has a plan. The bad news: I don't know what the plan is (which stresses me out, refer to picture on the right). 

If I find my planner stressful, imagine what God’s looks like (though I highly doubt He has a planner, because the thought of God sitting there with one just makes me giggle). If God were to have a planner, I probably would get a similar look on my face as I did before if I had to even look at it. But, if He did have a planner, I’d be written in there somewhere. He didn’t forget me. I’m in there, surrounded by all of you that I think are changing the world. And, my name is in the same size, font, etc. as yours. I’m just as important to Him as you are. I need a reminder of this. So, to help me, I’ve created a visual (you may use it too and insert your name in place of mine if you need help).

*Note, if you happen to have one of the names mentioned above, it is purely by coincidence. It does not mean you missed out on anything. Also, in my imaginary world where God has a planner, everyone's last name is Smith, except me. And God's handwriting looks like this. 

Oh, how I need to be reminded of this. Just as one sin does not outweigh another sin, one work for the kingdom does not outweigh another. Wow. I needed that. Thanks God. Give me a second, I'm just dancing around celebrating that fact.

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Ok. I'm back.

Just because I’m not doing something huge and impressive doesn’t mean that I’m not working for God and glorifying Him. I tried looking for a Bible verse to describe this. I couldn’t (not saying that there isn’t one, it’s just REALLY hard to find). It doesn’t mean that this isn’t Biblical. I’m 99.9% sure it is. Wait, scratch that. I'm 100% sure. We get caught up in “I just want to be an Esther” or “I want to do what Paul did” instead of focusing on the here and now. Smiling at the cashier, tipping someone extra though they don’t deserve it (and your bank account really can’t afford it either), doing the dishes without being asked, picking up things in a store that have fallen off the shelf, or cleaning up after yourself at a restaurant (especially if you left a REALLY BIG MESS), are all the “everyday things” that we all don’t think are significant to the kingdom. But, they are. Oh, they so are. I’m telling myself this because I feel as though if I don’t do something HUGE I’m not making a difference. But God’s plan is far superior to mine.

I feel as though we occasionally try to "one up" other's good deeds. "Oh, you helped a homeless person today? I helped FIVE." I'm not saying that all this isn't good and fine, but everything done for God should be celebrated. Actually, let me rewrite that sentence. Everything God does THROUGH you should be celebrated. I wouldn't do diddly squat without Him. 

So, I look forward to one day, looking up at my Father who loves me and saying “good plan.” I actually can’t wait till that day. God has a “good plan,” even if we can’t see it. I can’t wait to see how everything comes together and I get to see how it all worked out. So, for now, I just have faith that God has a “good plan.” I may not be able to see it, but I know I will someday. And THAT gives me joy.