Can you mess up God’s plans for your life?
By Eddie Zdanio
How did I end up here?
Maybe I should have chosen a different path…
Maybe I failed too big this time...
Maybe I shouldn’t have taken this job…
Maybe I shouldn’t have dated that person…
Maybe I…
There’s a sinking feeling that can overcome you when you start second guessing a decision you’ve made. Sometimes in life, your circumstances might seem like a mess created by choices you made weeks, months, or even years earlier. It’s natural to think… “Did I miss out on God’s plans for me? Did God have a great plan for my life, but I messed it up?”
What happens when you make a problematic decision or a costly mistake? Does God have to rewire everything He had planned for you because of your decisions? What a mess that would be! But I don’t believe that is how things work.
Consider this… “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16)
God is not caught off guard by your decisions. As a matter of fact, He knew it all before you were ever born. This includes every little detail, the good and bad decisions, the successes and mistakes, the times you would rush ahead of Him, and the times you would drag our feet.
It’s Impossible
Here’s the reality: You cannot mess up God’s plans for your life. God knew the path you would take, and He knows what is coming down the road. He doesn’t have to re-chart the course or rewire His plans because of your decisions.
Course Correction
This doesn’t mean that you bear no responsibility for the choices you’ve made. And this doesn’t mean that you should continue on a collision course with trouble, or remain unrepentant in sin, or sit on your hands waiting for a better tomorrow. Ultimately you can’t go back and change what brought you to today. If you feel your decisions have led you to miss out on something better, take heart – remember that this moment in time was already accounted for in God’s plans.
So what now?
God knows exactly what is next for you. If you are questioning a decision you made, don’t lose sleep. Seek His wisdom for your next step.
If there are changes you need to make, make them.
If there is sin you need to repent of, repent right now.
If you have made some mistakes and are feeling the consequences, learn from them and keep moving forward.
If you need to make amends with someone, don’t wait any longer.
If you are anxious or fearful about the future, stop worrying and start trusting.
God’s plans are bigger than your mistakes. Your missteps have already been factored in. Make the necessary adjustments and start moving forward.