We may believe God’s purpose for our lives is the best for our lives, but it doesn’t always feel that way. Can we ever change His mind? Fiona replies.
“The Lord Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.’” (Isaiah 14:24)
These words were a prophecy against Assyria, given to Isaiah to share amongst many prophecies against other groups of people. God was letting them know that He was going to punish them for their disobedience to His law.
It goes on to say verse 27:
“For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?”
God is all powerful and there is nothing that can stop Him, in whatever way His hand is stretched out. That means that whatever God wants to do–nothing can stand in the way of that–unless He wills it.
There are stories in the Bible where petitions by people have caused the Lord to change His mind about what will happen. Like the story of Hezekiah being given an extra 15 years of life (Isaiah 38) or where God had compassion on Nineveh and did not bring the threatened destruction (Jonah 3).
But God still had control. No one could make God change His mind if He didn’t want to.
God’s purpose for our lives is still going to stand. We don’t always know, or understand what God’s purpose is. I know I’ve often pondered what purpose God has in my pain. Surely I would be of more use, if I could do more.Aren’t there things I could be doing for God, if I wasn’t so tired, or didn’t hurt so much?
God knows so much better than I do, what will be best. Not only for me, but also to advance His kingdom. I see so little of the picture that God sees, where things make a lot more sense than they sometimes do to me.
Can we go into each day trusting that what God has planned will happen –and that it will be for the best?
I’m not saying it’s always easy, or that there are not times when we question if God could have planned things differently, but Yes, I believe we can!
Maybe we need to be standing on God’s purposes, as well as “standing on the promises”!
Prayer: Father, Help us to trust that Your purposes for our lives make sense, even when we don’t see it ourselves. Amen.
About the Author:
Fiona Burrows lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is thankful for the difference God makes in her life, and the lessons He is teaching her, as she lives with chronic back pain. She enjoys finding time for reading, writing, and photography, and to travel when she is able. You can contact her in the Sunroom.
Are there times when you have seen God’s purpose shown out in your life in ways you never envisaged? How did that make you feel?
Wondering what God’s purpose is for your life? Here is one pastor’s viewpoint on how we should be looking at God’s plans for us. Everything is God’s!
This reminds me of a hard time I was going through when my CFS put an end to my teaching career. I spent many hours trying to figure out who am I? Then I heard the song by Casting Crowns “Who Am I?” I finally found the answer I was searching for. I am anything God wants to be. The lyrics say, ” Lord you catch me when I’m falling and you told me who I am…I am yours!”
Ahh Fiona, thanks for this devotional and video. What a great reminder!
Having just ‘lost’ my mission job, I’m feeling like a teenager again trying to sort out what my purpose in this world is. I love the reminder that this is God’s life we live, not our own.
I also love that God chooses to involve us human beings in some of His decisions – like conversations He had with Abraham and Moses where they seemed to influence Him to change His mind. Yet God IS always in control – thankfully!!
Wow, Fiona…thank you so much for this…such a needed message for everyone here. A precious reminder that yes, He can use our lives to get in on what He’s doing no matter where we are or whatever the circumstances. Love to you and to all who come here for encouragement in the Lord. I praise Him for this ministry. Gentle hugs…BeBe <3
Fiona, Very well written and a message stated so clearly for everyone to listen to and understand. When I was fianlly diagnosed with Lyme disease, Rocky Mt Spotted Fever and Brucellosis, I was nearly out of my mind. The doctors had my husband, my daughters and son-in-law pretty well convinced that I was making this up in my mind because I was lacking attention at home. What a crock that was? Not realizing from 1995 to 2000, I was very ill with a misdiagnosed, misunderstood, lack of compassion from the medical field as to what I was dealing with. I knew in my heart and mind that I was terribly ill and I was in a terrible denial towards God for this happening to me. I fought Him tooth and nail, my oldest sister kept trying to help me see that Jesus was the answer and I refuted. Then when the bottom fell out and I didn’t know who I was, how I got here, what my next step would be is when I finally let Jesus into my life and Oh, my what sweet relief! I know now that Lyme disease happened to me for a reason and Jesus has graciously continued to bless me and keep me here to serve a purpose to others. I wrote a book called, Ticked Off about my own personal journey trying to unravel a mysterious disease that I had. It has been a real eye opener for me and my loved ones but what a difference it has made in a “good way” in my life and I am so grateful now that it happened because I found the Lord, and what a difference HE is making in my life. I know what it is like to live with a chronic illness and how others react towards you and I also know how deadly Stress can be and what it causes. Learning to cope, finding ways to accept it, moving forward, finding doctors who understand what disease is all about and how to treat the patient, being who we are and not ashamed for it, giving others Hope and Light that yes, I am sick but I don’t have to stay that way, I have a choice in my recovery efforts. When I finally realized all of this and started to focus on others who are dealing with this disease, it gave me a renewed sense and took the distraction of my pain and suffering off of me to focus on others. Now I am reaching out to others who suffer with Lyme disease and showing them that it is possible to move on. We will get through this disease, become even stronger and trusitng in our Father who knows our pain and suffering. HE is with me all the time, HE hears me, HE walks beside me, HE will heal me in HIS time not in my time. Life is good today and I am so blessed and Thankful to be alive! Blessings to you as HE continues to bless me..
I am convicted by seeing the difference between What is God’s will for MY life? versus What is God’s will? It’s a good exhortion from Louie Giglio to be humbled before the Lord in surrendering my life realizing it’s really His life anyway. To be reminded that God is in control even as He calls us to bring our requests and pleas to Him for consideration has been another needed encouragement for me today. I appreciate this devotion, Fiona as well as the encouraging and like-minded responses from those who have commented here. God bless you all!