God’s dream for your life
God plans “to give you hope and a future”
(Jeremiah 29: 11).
as I talk with women across the country, they seem to share a desire to follow God and fulfill their God-given potential. We want to get from Point A
to Point B, enjoying the journey and avoiding roadblocks
along the way. But there aren’t any one-size-fits-all formulas for following God. It’s a faith each of us must live out
in the day to day, the exciting and the mundane.
It was on a day like today, one that seemed to start like
any other, that the world was changed forever. Yet Jesus,
our Redeemer, knew what the coming hours would hold.
He knew the pain He would suffer, the anguish His death
would cause His family and friends. Only He knew sin
and death would be conquered once and for all.
To many His death seemed like the end, but Jesus knew
it was only the beginning of a new covenant to redeem
Him, and Jesus knew it, even as a young man.
As a young girl what were your dreams for your life?
What was Plan A? For many Canadian women Plan A
looks something like this: go to school, get married, have
children, start career, pursue your dreams, buy a house,
live a quiet life or become famous, serve overseas, and
enjoy an early retirement to Florida.
We plot our steps from Point A to Point B, asking God
to bless us. Then life – and, oh yes, God’s plans – get in
the way.
not the life you Wanted
“Life wasn’t supposed to turn out this way,” we lament. An
engagement is broken off. Career aspirations are crushed.
Children leave home and the faith they were raised to
know. Barrenness makes you wish there was even the
possibility of children leaving home. Singleness returns
again in mid-life. Deterioration of the mind outpaces a
loved one’s physical strength.
Some dreams come true. Others lie in pieces as shards
of glass that pierce your heart. Amid life’s sorrows I have
found Psalm 126: 5 to be a comforting truth: “Those who
sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy!”
We all have broken lives in need of spiritual repair,
thanks to our sin and the sins of others. Yet there is a
profound loveliness in the heart of a woman who trusts
in God through the brokenness, believing He will bring
beauty from these ashes and wholeness to her shattered
pieces.
God’s plan
Still, the Christian life isn’t ultimately about living our
dreams. God’s plan is much more significant than that.
Easter reminds us of the truth we live out each day –our
God is a God of redemption and hope. We need salvation
through Jesus Christ infinitely more than any other dream
we long to see come true in our lifetime. One day, every
tear will be wiped away.
In the meantime we take our pain to the cross – trusting
Jesus understands our suffering – and placing our hope
in Him alone. He gave his life to pay the ransom for our
sin. His forgiveness provides a fresh start when we come
to Him in repentance. Through Christ reconciliation with
God is possible.
His plan is perfect, always working for the good of
those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. He is with us through the valleys, along the scenic
route, and into a future filled with hope for His glory. FT
Michelle (naGle) ar Thur is executive director
of Women alive, a canadian ministry to women and
teen girls. Visit womenalive.org or call 1-800-387-4753
to register for March and april conferences, including
Grande prairie, alta., Waterloo, Ont. and
MissionFest Toronto.
