When Things Don’t Go As Planned

by Mary May Larmoyeux

As Mother’s Day approaches, I’m reminded of Jesus’ own mother, Mary. I can’t fully imagine how she must have felt when an angel told her that she would give birth to our Messiah. But I can understand how she treasured everything about Jesus in her heart and pondered the events of His life. After all, she was His mother.

But Mary did more than this. Day in and day out she trusted the sovereign hand of Jesus’ Almighty Father. That was her secret when things did not go as she had planned. That was her anchor when Jesus hung on the cross dying for our sins.

We live in a stress-filled world of wars, rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes. It’s a world that calls right, wrong. A world that has disguised sin as free choice. A fast-moving world that’s connected by e-mails, and i-phones and tweets.

But are we connected to the true God?

Do you ever worry about your children’s future? Do you wonder if they will even have a future as you watch the images of crumbling buildings and war? Sometimes I worry about my grandchildren’s future. But then I remember Mary’s secret.

Yes, she treasured the moment when Jesus took His first step. But more importantly, she trusted that His Almighty Father had every single thing in control. She pondered God’s past intervention in her life; she knew that she could depend on Him for the future.

I can imagine Mary reciting the words of Psalm 77:11-13: “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?”

 Mom, no matter what happened yesterday or today, God is able to do anything. As my own dear mother says time and time again, “Things have a way of working out.”

Why do they work out? Because God has a purpose and a plan for each of us and for our children and grandchildren.

“Be strong and courageous …,” David said to his son Solomon, “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you” (1 Chronicles 28:20).

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 Taking It One-to-One:

• Is fear replacing faith in your child-rearing?
• Do you need to take your fears to the feet of Jesus and release them into His capable hands?
• Have you pondered the idea that God has a unique plan for each of your children?
• Are you mentoring someone that may need to hear the message of this article?