We can Trust His Plan

“A For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.“ Isaiah 55:9 NLT

On April 19, 2009, at the age of 38, I crossed the finish line of the Go! St. Louis Marathon for the first time with a finishing time good enough to gain entry into the 2010 Boston Marathon. That race began a series of events that would completely change my life—events I mulled over carefully as I served as a volunteer at the 2023 St. Louis Marathon over the weekend. “Oh my,” I found myself saying as I considered all God had done in the 14 years since I first participated in this event. “The Lord directed your steps to make running a ministry Melissa. He paved the way for you to complete distances your young mind could never fathom and to cross countless finish lines. He led you through the deepest of valleys and allowed You to climb the highest of mountains. He gave you a job that perfectly combined your career and your calling. And He took you down a path that led you to where you are today… a committed follower of Jesus Christ, whose greatest desire is to know God more and to make His great Name known to the world.”  Do you just love that or what? 

And you know, when it comes to planning out our lives, isn’t it great to know that we have a God whose ways are higher than ours, whose thoughts are higher than ours, and whose plan for our lives is better than we could ever design or arrange ourselves? That means He can be trusted… even when we don’t understand all the “whys?” You see, it’s when you and I comprehend the word “higher” that we realize that not only are the Lord’s ways different from ours they are better and wiser than ours. That means when our plans are falling apart, they are actually coming together. In other words, when we see only our small piece of the puzzle; God sees the finished work. And when we see only a portion of the jumbled back of the tapestry; we can have peace knowing that God is the Weaver at the loom.

So if you’re following Christ with your whole life, don’t be upset when your dreams don't come to fruition or your best laid intentions fall apart my friend. Trust your unknown future to a known God and say, “Lord I don’t know what you’re doing but I do know Who You are. I don’t understand and I don’t know why this is happening but I trust that You do and that’s enough for me.” 

Heavenly Father, thank You for being the God who never changes, whose promises are always true, and Who will never leave our side. Lord, when we can’t understand Your ways, help us to view them from Your perspective.. that You work ALL things for our good and for Your glory. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!