How many times have you pondered the thought, "why did God allow that to happen?" Maybe this is in reference to having to cancel a trip with some friends. The day before you were planning on leaving your dog starts acting funny. He won't eat and seems unlike his normal self. Not wanting to leave him sick with the sitter, you decide to cancel your plans and take your dog to the vet. After a shot of antibiotics, your dog is on the mend and doing better. Was this a random coincidence, or was it planned by God to save you from a car accident the following day?
Perhaps you pondered that thought when a loved one passed away suddenly. You thought they had many more years on this earth. Why did God decide to take them now? Why not wait until they were old and gray? You had many plans set in place with them and wanted more memories with them. Perhaps God was saving them many more years of pain and suffering with cancer. His plan for them was greater than their own.
It is hard to make plans because plans always change, but that doesn't mean we should stop making them. The apostle Paul understood this when he promised to see the Corinthians again. He made plans to see them, but God changed his plans. To the Corinthians, Paul may have seemed like a liar. Did he really want to see us at all? Why would he say 'yes' and then 'no'? Paul made plans to see them, but God's plans were greater.
When plans change, it can be hard to trust God because things aren't going the way we hoped. Our sinful nature leads us to question God when he allows things to happen that are against what we want. We ask ourselves, "Can I trust anything God says?" The answer is yes. Every single plan and promise that God has ever made has been "yes" in Christ. Are your sins really forgiven? Yes. If you believe and are baptized will you really be saved? Yes. If those are true, then are God's plans for you really better than your own? Yes. When plans change and things aren't going the way you thought they would, trust God. Trust that he is taking care of you and has your eternal welfare always at the forefront his heart. Let us always be quick to say "amen" and trust God's plan for us even when ours change. Amen.
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1:20
