God’s Hidden Plans
What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. – John 13:7
As a preschooler, I often tagged along with my dad while he did various chores around the farm. On one particular day, he was repairing a fence bordering
one field. Thud! Thud! Thud! Everything vibrated under the heavy blows of his sledgehammer, as he pounded a wooden post firmly into the ground.
Suddenly, my dad wheeled around and told me to run out into the field. Bewildered, I stood still and stared at him. This abrupt order made no sense
to me. However, it was not long before I discovered the reason for this seemingly strange command. The repeated vibrations had disturbed a nearby
hornets’ nest. Within seconds I was the recipient of several burning hornet stings.
My dad had foreseen the pain that I would be exposed to and had attempted to spare me. Too late, I wished that I had readily obeyed.
To our finite understanding, our Heavenly Father’s dealings with us may not always make sense either. We may stand back and ask, “Why?” when His reasons
are not apparent. Whether or not we understand God’s plans for us, we can still recognize that anything He permits is for our ultimate good. Other
people may try to use us for their personal gain, but we can be assured that God’s motive is love for our souls. Some of life’s most beneficial
lessons can be painful, but there is a blessing in submitting humbly to His hand upon our lives. If we will follow the path He selects for us,
the end will be life and peace.
Most of us can look back upon times when the way seemed unnecessarily obstructed, yet we were rewarded for patient endurance. The pieces that did not
appear to fit together in those trying times, later emerged as part of a grander scheme than we ever could have come up with in our limited wisdom.
We can find peace in knowing that the Lord still does all things well!