“Man plans, God laughs,” is a saying that has been around for quite some time. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Our travels for Thanksgiving reminded me of this biblical truth.
We had planned to get up early (as in, 3:00 AM) on Tuesday morning and travel to my parents’ home in South Georgia. They live some 625 miles away. We had hoped by leaving so early that we would arrive in the early afternoon. This would have given the boys plenty of time to stretch and play and eat before bed.
Things went awry from the start. I slept through my alarm. Then Jessica slept through hers. We finally got away about 2 hours later than we intended. We had planned to stop every couple of hours or so and give the boys some time out of their car seats while we refueled, ate, etc. These stops lasted longer than we anticipated.
What should’ve been a 10 to 12 hour trip ended up lasting nearly 15 hours! Needless to say, the Leonard family was completely exhausted when we arrived at my parents’ doorstep.
I am thankful for the day we had together, even if it was long and it took some unexpected turns. I am also thankful that my life does not depend upon my ability to make perfect plans. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Psalm 33:11 says, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.”
The statement in Proverbs 16 lets us know that we will succeed when we align our will with God’s will. When we trust Him and seek to do what He says is best for our lives, then our plans will succeed in the ways that truly matter. The only way we can know His will is to devote ourselves to what He has revealed in His Word.
The truth in Psalm 33 is the basis of the believer’s hope. Because God’s plans do not fail, Jesus Christ gave Himself on the cross for the sins of the world. In so doing, He provided the offer of eternal life to all who would answer the Gospel call.
At the end of the day, it made little difference that we arrived late in the evening instead of in the early afternoon. We arrived safely and we got to spend time with our family. When our human plans fail, we need not fear. If God’s plans were to fail, we would be without hope. How reassuring it is to know that God’s plans do not fail and His plans include eternal life for all who would receive it! Praise God; His plans never fail!
Clay Leonard