When we walk with God, He gives us a new rhythm, and He renews our minds. He gives us a fresh perspective, so that through our trials, we get a revelation of who He is. We begin to experience His goodness and faithfulness. We see Him in a new light. He reveals Himself to us, and He reveals who He created us to be. He shows us His plan and purpose for our lives, and He puts an anointing on us that enables us to do things that we’ve never done before. We feel confident, knowing that He has graced us to do new things. We feel blessed to have heard His voice, and we feel honored to be used by Him. This is the most fulfilling thing in the world. Walking in the plan of God gives us a peace that is unexplainable. And even when we are challenged, we are not shaken, because we know that He is with us. He’s set the scene, and He’s directed our steps to be where we are. And so, we are content, knowing that we are where He’s place us. But what happens when He moves us unexpectedly? What happens when our new found peace is interrupted by an answered prayer?
Answered prayers can present themselves as interruptions.
The hand of God doesn’t always look like blessing at first sight. When God moves, He interrupts our plans and disturbs our way of life. And we most likely won’t feel prepared, because He moves unexpectedly. We wait for what seems like forever for Him to answer our prayers, but we forget that He is working behind the scenes. We forget that while we are living in our current season, He is working out the details for our next season. And sometimes, we can get so comfortable in the will of God that we forget that He is always moving, and that He is always doing a new thing.
“But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19 NLT)
In this passage, God says that we should forget all that He has already done in our lives, because that is nothing compared to what He is going to do. I love this, but it is also sobering at the same time. Sometimes we get so amazed by what He has done, and don’t get me wrong, we should be. We should praise Him for the things that He has done for us. We should be grateful for the blessings that He has given us and for the season that He has brought us to; but, we should never get too comfortable. It is easy to get used to the blessings of God, and we get so use to His blessings, that we forget that He has more for us. We forget that this is just our present, and not our destination.
This is where I am in my walk with God. He brought my family to a place of peace, a place of His blessing and His favor. We have learned to trust Him where we are. We have learned to be content with where He has us. But in that contentment, it’s almost like we got too comfortable. We lived life in His grace, forgetting that this is only the beginning. And so, when God interrupted our plans, it felt like we were thrown a curve ball. His call was so unexpected. This next assignment was not even on our radar, so we didn’t know what to think, be we knew that it was Him. We knew that the way that this blessing occurred had to be God. This was not a situation that we strove for, we had no part in making it happen, so we trusted that it was His plan. But still, we were reluctant; I was reluctant. I felt like I had just gotten my feet planted where I am, and now God is requiring more. And I find myself asking God how I will be able to do it. How can I steward well over all the responsibility that He has given me? Then God reminded me, this time last year, I didn’t think that I would be where I am now. It took faith for me to get here, and it will take faith for me to get there.
We plan, but God orders.
I have to admit that I am a planner. I like to plan how I can realistically reach my goals, and I like to plan my day. And honestly, I don’t like interruptions. I don’t like when people and events interrupt my plan. So naturally, when God interrupted my plans, I was excited, but I was also a little anxious. My mind immediately began to try to figure out how God’s plan would work out. And a weight began to come over me. I was beginning to take responsibility for bringing God’s plan to life, when I have no power to do so. I might be a great planner, but God is my director. He is the one that orders my steps, and He is the one that has the final say.
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. (Proverbs 16:9 NLT)
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. (Psalms 37:23-24 NLT)
And the thing is, that God’s interruption was an answer to a prayer. This was something that my husband and I had been praying for, but God’s answer came in a manner that was so unexpected. God’s ways are mysterious. We’ll never know how He works and why He works the way that He does, but we can be sure that His plan will always turn out better that our own. But, this doesn’t mean that following His instructions is always easy.
As I began to think about the logistics of this new assignment, fear began to creep in. I wondered how I would have the ability to do what He asked of me, and for a moment, I thought of a way out of it. I thought, maybe this isn’t God. But then, I remembered that God does not give us the spirit of fear, I realized that this fear that I was experiencing, was seeking to prevent me from walking into the plan and the purpose that God has for my life.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)
There will always be opposition to the plan of God.
We must remember this as we walk in faith. We often think that the plan of God will present itself within our perfect plan, but we can be assured that this will never be the case. His thoughts are higher than ours, and we can not fathom His ways. There is no way that we can think ourselves into the plan of God. Walking in purpose does not work this way. If we are to make plans, we must understand that they are just that – plans. And at any given time, God will interrupt and supersede our plans.
You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. (Proverbs 19:21 NLT)
So as we understand that God moves unexpectedly, we must also understand that we have a real enemy that seeks to prevent the will of God from manifesting in the earth. The bible says that He is the father of lies.
For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44 NLT)
We have to understand that the devil only has one trick, and that is deception. This is the trick that he played on Eve in the Garden of Eden, and this is the same trick that He attempted to play on Jesus as He was led into the wilderness to be tempted. The devil has no power to prevent the plan of God for our lives, but He can prevent us from walking into it.
God controls the doors of opportunity.
“…This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open: “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. (Revelation 3:7-8 NLT)
The enemy has no control over the doors in our lives. He has no ability to open the doors that God shuts, and he has no ability to close the doors that God opens. He is powerless against to power of God. This should give us a sense of peace, because we know that our Lord and Savior is stronger than the enemy, and because His Spirit lives inside of us, we are stronger than the enemy. But, we have to understand the devils tactics and schemes, because the war that he wages is in our minds. He can’t close the doors that God has opened, but He can trick us, and therefore, prevent us from walking into them.
God’s plans are always bigger that us.
So when God shows us an open door that seems larger than us, it is an indication of His will for our lives. His plans will always stretch and challenge our faith. And the fear that we feel as we look through the door of purpose, is just another indication of the blessing that lies on the other side. We don’t have to shrink back because of the unknown. We can confidently walk through the door because we know that He is with us, and He is for us. And His word says that if He is for us, no one can be against us.
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? (Romans 8:31 NLT)
And although we are surprised when God interrupts our plans, He is not. The interruptions that we are stressed about were planned. God set the stage for them. He orchestrated all the details to come together at the exact time that He ordained them to. He is in control, and He prepares us to walk through the doors that He opens. But this doesn’t mean that we will feel prepared, because we can be prepared and not know it. God prepares us in ways that we are unaware of. But when we look back, we will be able to see how our seasons in the dark prepared us for where we are now.
Through my walk with God, I’ve realized that He always provides for His plan. He’ll never put us in a place where we don’t have the tools necessary to be successful, but we have to follow His lead, in faith.
Walking through the door requires faith.
One night, I was talking to my husband about my reservations about the door that God opened. I expressed my anxieties; I shared my concerns. And his response, as simple as it was, gave me so much peace. He said, “Baby, it will be okay, just walk through the door.” And in that moment, I heard the voice of God speaking through him. I felt the tender loving care of my Father in heaven saying, “Walk through the door. I have everything already worked out for you.” And the peace of God came over me in that moment. Not because I knew His plans and all the details, but because He reminded me that He is in control. He reminded me that He will level the mountains before me, and that He will provide everything that I need.
This is what the Lord says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. (Isaiah 45:2 NLT)
God provides once we walk through the door.
This is why allowing God to direct our steps requires faith. He doesn’t provide for His calling up front. God provides His grace and favor as we need it. In the above passage, God tells King Cyrus that He will go before him. He tells Cyrus that He will smash down the gates of bronze. But Cyrus would never be able to experience God’s provision, unless he walked through the open door. And when the Israelites cried out to God in fear at the Red Sea, they had to have faith enough to walk through the open door.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. (Exodus 14:15-16 NLT)
God said, “Why are you crying out to me?” He told them that He had already provided them safe passage, but they had to use their faith to receive it. God had already provided an open door, but they did not experience His provision until Moses raised His staff over the sea.
Provision follows faith.
As Moses raised His staff, God provided. As Cyrus sought to rebuild the temple of Israel, God provided. And as we walk through the open doors that God sets before us, He will provide. I don’t know what open doors God has placed before you, but I know that He intends to provide whatever you need, as you obey Him. And you don’t have to fear the future, because He will personally go ahead of you.
Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT)
Your Father has already done the work. He has already planned out the details that you are worried about. He’s provided this door for you, and He’ll provide the next door, and the next. This is how His grace works. As we step out in faith, His provision flows into our lives. So don’t stress over the details that He’s already taken care of. Seek Him, walk through the door, and receive His promise for your life.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for every open door that you have provided for me. Thank you for sending your provision ahead of me. I pray that you would help me to enlarge my faith. Help me to trust you even when I don’t know the details. And give me the strength and courage to follow you no matter what. I trust that as I step out in faith, and walk through the door, you will provide for me, protect me, and bring me to the place that you have prepared for me. I trust you and I love you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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