God’s Game Plan

“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” – Proverbs 19:21. 

When people say that God has a wonderful plan for their lives, they often mean that God will help them achieve their dreams. God’s plans for our life are far superior to our ambitions, so sometimes the answer to our prayers are not what we are looking for because God has a better plan.

While we may not understand all the twists and turns of life, we can be sure of one thing: the same God who created us loves us. God’s personal promise is one of extreme hope and potential (Jeremiah 29:11). He also has an awesome strategy for your future. No matter what needs you are praying for at this time, God may say no because He has a better plan. 

We often want God to be our life coach rather than our Lord. We want God to give us some helpful tips on how to live an easier life, all the while forgetting that our mission is to glorify God. Instead of letting His glory shape our desires and ambitions, we too often expect him to comply with our prayer instructions for our lives. And when God says no, we wonder why because our lives wind up nothing like our expectations. What if we’re miserable? How is that God’s plan? Sometimes the path He leads us down is a difficult one. Sometimes we may find ourselves out of our comfort zone.  

Isaiah 55:8-9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 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.” Notice it doesn’t say, “my way, but my ways.” God has more than one way of doing things. He’s not limited in His options. He’s never forced into one answer. He has many alternatives. Our problem is that we get a preconceived idea and want God do what we want our way. We always pick the least painful way of having God answer prayers. God may not see it that way. 

Hebrews 11:39-40 says, “All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.”

When God says no we need to continue praying and trust God. Jesus is good. He never disappoints. Though He doesn’t always answer our prayers in the way we would like, He knows what’s best for us. The Bible says “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever” (Psalm 16:11) God is not holding out on us. He is good — so good — and His plans for your life can be trusted.

Discussion Questions:

1. When people say that God has a wonderful plan for their lives, what do they usually mean?
2. Part of God’s wonderful plan for your life is to make you like His Son. Does this excite you?