Trusting The Next Move The Detriment of "What If" God Is a Master Strategist

Confidence In His Plan

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6 This week I had a birthday. Normally my daughter makes plans well ahead of time. If she cannot be with me, she makes sure I have a gift early. This year was different. She hadn't said anything to me, and I was beginning to wonder why. Then I received a phone call the night before from a friend, telling me that she had my daughter's gift and asked me to go out for lunch with her and she would bring it. When she picked me up at the church, she had another friend with her. Then to my surprise there were two others waiting at the restaurant. The table was set for six and they told me there was still one more to come. A few minutes later, my daughter appeared. What a beautiful surprise. I am so blessed. My daughter always plans ahead. Even though it looked like she was not going to be with me on my birthday, I knew deep in my heart that she had something planned. I know her well and I trust her completely. I am so thinkful for the family the Lord entrusted me with. They are always there for me. My boys are too far away to be with me on special occasions, but they both phoned me and let me know they remembered my birthday and that they loved me. Their love is not something I take for granted. They have my best interest at heart and desire to make me feel loved and appreciated. How much more can we trust our Heavenly Father to always give His best to us. He loved us before we were even born. He knew what would happen every year, every day of our lives. Everything that we face in life, passes through Him first. As I look back over my life, I can see where He was leading and guiding me each step of the way. Like the captives in Babylon, we can claim the promise that the Lord gave in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Psalm 68:19 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." Thought For Today: "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5

Waiting on God

"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." Proverbs 16:9 There is a phrase which I often heard when I was younger and that I still find myself using. This week I was out for lunch with friends and when we parted, one remarked, "I will see you Sunday." As usual, I replied, "Lord willing." We need to make plans, but we should always remember that the Lord knows what is best for us, and sometimes our plans will not happen the way we want them to. We have no promise of tomorrow, but the Lord has a plan and purpose for each of us. So, we trust Him to guide us in our planning and then trust Him to have His way. If it is His will, our plans will come to fruition. James 4:13-15 "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." When we commit our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, we commit to Him our past, our present, and our future. He forgives the sins and trespasses of our past, gives us joy and peace for today, and a hope for the future. We can trust Him to guide us and lead us. Whatever He has planned for us is good. We have only to give Him our all. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33-34: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Sometimes we get impatient when our plans do not fall in place the way we desire, but the Lord knows what He is doing. We want to see things happen quickly, but often the Lord just says: "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14 Thought For Today: "And although my answers seem terribly late, my most precious answer is still WAIT." Russell Kellar Devotion by Anne Johnston

Trusting God's Plan

"He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply. Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph's character." Psalm 105:16-19 NLT We often begin Joseph's story with him telling his dreams to his brothers and being rejected by them. But the retelling of the story in Psalm 105 reveals a new twist. In an everlasting covenant, God confirmed that He had given the land of Canaan to Israel as their inheritance. Then in verse nineteen, He reveals that He is going to send a famine on the land. Their food supply will be cut off, and they will have to go to Egypt to survive. However, He would send someone to Egypt ahead of them. When God gave Joseph his strange dreams, the plan was already in place for what he would suffer. Joseph had no idea what awaited him. God knew that He was not ready for the task for which he was being called. It would be years before he would see his dreams fulfilled. During those years, the Lord was testing his character, preparing him. Everything he went through made him stronger and wiser. Joseph kept his integrity throughout all the trials he faced. Whatever position he found himself in, he did his absolute best. Submitting to authority, he found ways to help others, without knowing what his future held. In time, "Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door" Psalm 105:20 Think about it. Before we were born, God already had a plan and a purpose for our lives. We may not understand all the things we have faced in life. God had in place the people and the circumstances that would shape our lives. Instances that we might have perceived as harsh or undeserved were the Lord's ways of building our character and preparing us for the tasks He wanted us to fulfill. If the Lord has given you a dream or a vision, He has a set time for it to come to fruition. Draw close to the Lord, study His Word, and wait patiently for His perfect timing. Thought For Today: "Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all." Friedrich von Logau Devotion by: Anne Johnston

One Day At A Time One Bite at a Time

"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 I can barely believe how quickly time passes. It feels like one year ends and another begins before we have a chance to catch our breath. Looking back, many of us can probably identify goals we never reached, projects we never finished, and dreams that seem farther away than we expected. We put so many expectations on ourselves. We imagine that growth should happen quickly, healing should come easily, and success should arrive sooner than it does. When life doesn't unfold according to our timeline, frustration often follows. I am writing this to remind you of something simple but important: Good things take time—often much more time than we anticipated. And that's okay. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, my mom asks me a question that immediately puts things into perspective. She asks, "How do you eat an elephant?" I sheepishly respond, "One bite at a time, Mom." Maybe you have an elephant-sized goal standing in front of you. Perhaps you're staring at a project that feels impossible to complete. Maybe your workload is heavy, the responsibilities of your home are exhausting, and raising your children has left you physically and emotionally drained. Sometimes the pressure becomes even greater when we compare our lives to the carefully curated highlight reels we see on social media. Comparison is a trap. It convinces us that everyone else is further ahead, accomplishing more, and doing better than we are. When I find myself slipping into that mindset, I have to step away and remind myself of what God has actually asked of me. He hasn't asked me to conquer tomorrow, He has asked me to be faithful today. One of my constant prayers is, "Lord, teach me to take one day at a time." God rarely gives us dreams in full bloom. He plants seeds. Then, through patience, faithfulness, and time, He causes them to grow. Psalm 90 teaches us to number our days. Wisdom is not found in obsessing over years we haven't lived yet. Wisdom is found in stewarding the day God has placed in front of us. So today, stop criticizing yourself for how far you still have to go. Instead, thank God for how far He has already brought you. Celebrate the small victories and rejoice in the progress you have made. Today, trust Him with the parts of your story that are still unfolding. Just keep taking the next step… one bite at a time… one day at a time.

Trusting The Next Move The Detriment of "What If" God Is a Master Strategist

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." Psalm 37:23, KJV. Growing up, my dad taught me how to play chess. I'm still an amateur, but I loved spending time with him, so I would sit across the board for hours knowing I had little chance of winning. No matter how many moves ahead I tried to think, he was always several steps ahead of me. Our relationship with God is much the same. We often map out our future with personal goals, timelines, and carefully crafted plans. Yet God's purpose for our lives extends far beyond anything we could imagine. While we see only the next move, He sees the entire board. We journey through life one step at a time, but God stands outside of time altogether. He knows the end from the beginning. His wisdom is incomparable to ours. He sees where every decision leads and understands whether the path before us will strengthen or hinder our spiritual growth. This is why He sometimes asks us to step out in faith, change direction, wait patiently, or accept an answer we do not understand. Have you ever found yourself asking, "Why, God?" or "What are You trying to accomplish through this situation?" If we're honest, many of us desire God's will until we begin to consider the possible cost. What if the path is lonely? What if it involves disappointment? What if it leads through a season of pain? The enemy often uses "what if" to create doubt where God is calling for faith. Those two simple words can become barriers that keep us from embracing God's perfect plan. While fear imagines every possible negative outcome, faith chooses to trust the One who already knows the outcome. My flesh often hesitates when God nudges me toward unfamiliar territory, but my spirit quietly reminds me, Trust Him. He knows what He's doing. One thing is certain: God desires to lead His children. Even when we make mistakes, take wrong turns, or move a piece we shouldn't have moved, He is not caught off guard. Our God is a Master Strategist. He knows how to redeem our failures, redirect our steps, and guide us toward His purpose. When you cannot see beyond your next move, remember that God already sees the endgame. He is working with wisdom, precision, and love. Your responsibility is not to know every move ahead, it is simply to trust the One who does.