Do you ever feel like you’re walking through life with a detailed roadmap, only to discover that you’ve been reading it upside down?…
This verse from Proverbs captures the important choice we as believers have to make – between our personal wants and God’s perfect plan. How often do we find ourselves meticulously planning our lives, mapping out every detail, creating our five (maybe even ten) year plans, only to discover that Adonai actually has something entirely different, and infinitely better, in mind for us?
Our hearts can dream up countless paths, but true wisdom lies in surrendering those plans to the One who sees the end from the beginning. When we learn to quiet our own voices and lean into God’s counsel, we can discover a path marked by divine purpose rather than our own human ambition.
Now, this struggle isn’t new, all throughout Scripture, we see countless examples of people who had to choose between clinging to their own understanding or surrendering to God’s greater wisdom. Let’s look at a few of these faithful men and women whose stories remind us that God’s plans, while often unexpected, are always perfect…
Abraham: When God Redirects Your Entire Life
“Then Adonai said to Abram, ‘Get going out from your land, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.”
Genesis 12:1 TLV
Can you imagine receiving those instructions? Abraham (Abram) had established himself in Haran. He had a household, possessions, and a comfortable life. By all human standards, his plan was working well. Then God called him to leave everything behind and journey to… somewhere. The destination wasn’t even specified at first!
Abraham could have clung to his own plans—the security and comfort he had built. Instead, he chose faith. He stepped out into the unknown, following God’s voice rather than his own reasoning. And through this act of surrender, he became the father of many nations and entered into a covenant relationship that would change the course of history.
When God asks us to surrender our well-laid plans, He’s not being cruel, He’s inviting us into something far greater than we could engineer for ourselves.
Joseph: When God’s Plan Looks Like Failure
Joseph had dreams—literal God-given dreams—of leadership and prominence. Yet the path to their fulfillment led through a pit, slavery, false accusation, and prison. For years, it must have seemed like God had forgotten those promises.
If Joseph had been writing his own story, he certainly wouldn’t have included these painful chapters, as none of us probably would have either, but God was working at a level Joseph couldn’t see, positioning him precisely where he needed to be to save not only his family but an entire region from famine.
“Yes, you yourselves planned evil against me. God planned it for good, in order to bring about what it is this day–to preserve the lives of many people.”
Genesis 50:20 TLV
When life takes unexpected turns that seem to contradict God’s promises, remember Joseph. What looks like a detour may actually be God’s direct path to your purpose; what feels like a setback might actually be a divine setup…
Ruth: When Following God Means Starting Over
After losing her husband, Ruth could have returned to her people, her gods, and the life she knew before, but instead, she chose to follow her mother-in-law Naomi to a foreign land, pledging her allegiance to both Naomi and Naomi’s God.
“Ruth replied, ‘Do not plead with me to abandon you, to turn back from following you. For where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.”
Ruth 1:16 TLV
Ruth surrendered her own plans for security and familiarity to follow God into the unknown. The result? She became the great-grandmother of King David and an ancestor in the lineage of Yeshua Himself!
David: When God’s Timeline Doesn’t Match Yours
David was anointed as king while still just a shepherd boy, and the crown certainly didn’t come quickly. Instead, he spent years running for his life from King Saul, hiding in caves, living as a fugitive. There must have been moments when he wondered if he had misunderstood God’s plan.
Even when David had opportunities to take matters into his own hands—to kill Saul and claim the throne—he refused, choosing instead to wait for God’s timing.
“Adonai forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, Adonai’s anointed, stretching out my hand against him–for he is Adonai’s anointed.”
1 Samuel 24:6 TLV
In our instant-gratification culture, waiting might be one of the hardest acts of faith. David’s story shows us that God’s delays are not denials, His timing is perfect, and His promises are sure—even when the fulfillment of those promises seems impossibly distant.
Yeshua: The Ultimate Surrender
Even Yeshua, in the garden of Gethsemane, prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” If the Son of God Himself surrendered His own will to the Father’s perfect plan, how much more should we?
“For I know the plans that I have in mind for you,” declares Adonai, “plans for shalom and not calamity–to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11 TLV
Even when life feels uncertain, this promise reminds us that our Creator has designed a purpose-filled journey for each of us. His plans aren’t just good—they’re filled with shalom, that perfect peace and wholeness that only He can provide.
Sometimes following God’s plan requires tremendous courage. It might mean stepping away from what feels comfortable or secure. It might mean waiting when every fiber of your being wants to move forward. It might mean moving forward when fear tells you to stay put.
When Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Messiah who strengthens me.” in Philippians 4:13, he wasn’t talking about superhuman abilities, but something even more powerful – the supernatural strength to face whatever life brings when we’re walking with Yeshua!
This isn’t about conquering mountains by our own might; it’s about having access to an endless well of divine strength that carries us through both the extraordinary and ordinary moments of life.
Whether we’re facing great adversity or simply needing a bit of courage for daily challenges, His power becomes our power, His strength our strength. The same force that raised Messiah from the dead lives within us, empowering us to overcome fear, stand firm in our faith, forgive the unforgivable, and walk in purpose even when the path seems unclear. Remember, that as a follower of Yeshua, you are not surviving on your own strength – you’re thriving through God’s!
The Promise of a Purpose-Filled Life
When we make that choice to walk out God’s plans instead of our own, we discover something truly remarkable: a depth of purpose that no self-made plan could ever provide. We find ourselves participating in a story far grander than our personal ambitions—the redemptive story that God has been writing since creation.
Think about Esther—when she aligned herself with God’s purpose, she became instrumental in preserving the Jewish people. Or consider the disciples—when they surrendered their fishing nets and tax collection booths to follow Yeshua, they became part of a movement that would transform the world.
What might God do through your surrendered life? What kingdom impact might He have planned that far exceeds your most ambitious dreams?
Today, whatever crossroads you face, whatever plans you’re holding tightly, open your hands and offer them to the One who loves you beyond measure. His purposes for you are good—better than anything you could design for yourself. And when we surrender to His plans, we discover the deep joy and perfect shalom that can only be found in walking with Him!
Let’s walk forward together—not in our own strength or according to our own limited vision—but in the strength of Messiah and the perfect light of God’s eternal purpose. For there, and only there, will we find the life of abundance He created us to live!
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