Plan C

I just read an excellent post over on Tapestry by a friend of mine Laura Singleton. If you haven't read her posts before - they are really worth a few minutes of your time. She is always challenging me in my thinking and I highly recommend her writing!

Her topic this time was "Stop trusting God to fulfill those promises". I know sounds crazy, right? But, as usual, she was right on.

How often have I put words in God's mouth - promises I've "claimed" He's made that He never agreed to?

And how often have I limited God when praying? In a small way, her point #4 came to life for me just recently with Corbin.

This February we headed back to the urologist for another consult on Corbin's bladder reflux condition. My prayer requests fell into two possible outcomes - either that the condition wasn't fixed and God would give me peace and comfort about the surgery to come OR that Corbin was healed.

Instantly, I limited God's plan into two paths - my paths - never thinking that He might have an entirely different road for us.

And, of course, He did.

No, the bladder reflux wasn't healed. But, the specialist thought that we could continue on without surgery OR his daily antibiotics and was optimistic that the condition would heal over time without surgery.

Whoa, what? That wasn't one of my "solutions". But it was God's solution. He answered my prayers in His own unique time and way - and that really hit home to me. And His way continues to challenge and grow me in the areas of patience, peace, and just "letting go" of the illusion of control I think I have over the health of my boys.

How many other times have I "put God in a box" and limited my prayers to my own plans and solutions?

This was a great reminder that God really does work in mysterious ways and even when things seem like they are going south, maybe God's road map of my life is supposed to head south for the time being so that I can reach my final destination.

Are there times in your life where God's plan didn't match your own and He answered prayer in unique and amazing ways?