by Helen Lescheid
“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:11 RSV).
“Do you ever wonder why things turn out the way they do?” My friend asked. Some years ago, she’d been cut from a well – paying office job. After recovering from the shock, and months of retraining, she’d become a Care Aid in a nursing home. She’d felt fulfilled and happy in her new job which suited her compassionate nature. Then sickness had made her miss too many days at work and eventually forced her to quit her job altogether. Now she was on disability pension. None of it made sense to her. “There must be cosmic forces at play in my life,” she said. “In the grand fabric of humanity, perhaps these events fit somehow.”
She was on the right track, and yet the Bible has so much more to offer: “In Christ we are chosen. In Christ we have a destiny: God is presently working out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.”
We are not at the mercy of some impersonal power that moves us about. In Christ we see a personal God who comes near. He gets involved in our lives. Every detail of it concerns Him. Yes, we might find ourselves in a dark tunnel right now, but the fact remains: Jesus is Lord, and God is in control. God’s purpose to save us cannot be thwarted, no matter what evil Satan may bring our way.
Do you find yourself in a difficult situation? Find comfort in this truth: God has a good plan for your life and this present difficulty is part of it. He has a much grander destiny than you can imagine.
~Dear God, I don’t understand what is happening right now, but I trust you to work it together for good in my life and in the lives of others.
About the Author
This devotional was written by Helen Lescheid. Learn more about Helen: http://www.talk.thelife.com/authors/helen-lescheid/
Going Deeper
Consider these questions: Are you in a difficult situation right now? How are you handling it? How does the verse in Ephesians 1:11 give you comfort in time of stress?
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Thank you Lord that you know of everything that I’m going through at work and that your plans for my life are greater than the struggles I am experiencing.Thank you that all of it will bring you glory in your timing.
Hi Cristine,
Just want to tell you to stay strong in Him. I just read the devotional and then read your response. I don’t know what your problems are, but I have a very miserable situation at work as well.
I tell Him every day that I absolutely couldn’t make it without Him. I wouldn’t last a day without Him in my life.
I trust Him and I know that He has a perfect plan for me…and for you…that unfolds according to Him timing.
What would we do without Him?
I am claiming this scripture for my son who just found out he’ll be heading to Iraq in a couple of months. He’s a newly-married man and, like everyone else, doesn’t want to leave behind his precious wife. I know God has a plan for them and that He will reveal it in His timing. Like Cherri said, “What would we do without Him?”
This was just what I needed today….my family is going through some really tough times.
I also take great comfort in Romans 8:28-
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
If I didn’t have faith and trust in God I would never be able to appreciate the suffering….God’s words bring me comfort.
My husband has a serious drinking problem and it is putting a strain on our marraige to the point of me thinking divorce. I feel this would make me the happiest. This scripture tells me God has something better for my life. It has to be soon. I will pray for his guidance everyday.
I love this devotional because it is so true!!!!!!
I have faith that GOD is got a great plan for me, and it’s not in my time line its in his timelineeeee.
People have a tendacy to get impaticance when things don’t go the way they want it to but I am still working on being patiance with him and have to remind myself that it is in his time not mine
GOD, I pray that we all have the patience to show us what you have planned for us.
YOUR WILL NOT MINE BE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!
What a timely devotional. I recently found out that my job of 14 years is going to be eliminated as of the end of this year. Praise God that he is giving me this year to prepare but it still comes as quite a shock. I am also going through some potentially serious medical problems but I know that our God is an awesome God and that he works everything for good! I pray that each one of you that are going through work related problems will find the peace that God has given me. Remember that our will is not always God’s will and we need to be willing to conform to what his plan is for our lives. In the end…HE WINS! and so do we if we put our trust in HIM!
THANK YOU LORD FOR ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED BEFORE ME, WHAT SATAN MEANT TO DO, YOU TURNED AROUND AND PUT ME IN A BETTER PLACE, I MISS YOU LADIES, I AM BACK TO WORKING FULL TIME, FINANCES ARE FINALLY FALLING INTO PLAY AND MY LIFE AS A CHILD OF GOD IS RUNNING IN MY HEAD. I NEVER ONCE DREAMED I WAS ROYALTY, JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS FOR ME AND YOU, THE MOMENT HE DIED WE WERE BORN INTO THE INHERITANCE, FROM ABOVE, I HEARD THAT YESTERDAY. WOW WHAT A WONDERFUL THING, WE JUST HAVE TO BELIEVE, AND TRUST IN THE LORD, AND BE OBEDIENT, EVEN WHEN I HAVE REBELLED, GOD WAS RIGHT THERE WHEN I HIT MY KNEES. PLEASE PRAY I MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION REGARDING A RELATIONSHIP, HE IS A NON BELIEVER I THINK, HE IS VERY VERBAL ABUSIVE WITH ME, AND ME BEING ABUSED AT LEAST 12 TO 14 TIMES ALL THAT I HAVE REMEMBERED, THIS IS NORMAL, BUT NO IT IS NOT AND I HAVE TO FIND THE COURAGE IN GOD, AND YOU CHRISTIANS TO TRUST THAT BEING ALONE IS NOT THE WORSE THING IN LIFE, LIVING DAY TO DAY IN THIS VERBAL SITUATION, IS HELL, AND I DO NOT WANT TO GO BACKWARDS IN LIFE, PLEASE PRAY THAT I FIND THE COURAGE TO NICELY SAY GOODBYE TO THIS MAN. LOVE IN CHRIST LISA N.,
Hello
Just read your devotional & it m ade me think of my son who uses this verse as well as others to say he has become a Calvanist & joined a Calvanist Church. Do you understand Calvanism. He doesn’t believe in free will as he says God has foreordained who will be saved & knew before we were born & who would be saved & who wouldn’t & etc etc. Just wondering about your thoughts on that. He & we have been fundamental Baptists since our salvation years ago.
Hello fellow Sister is Spirit!
I can’t tell you how much this passage means to me today!
As many of you know, we’ve been waiting to hear about a job that means so much to our family. We’ve struggled most of our married life, and job this would provide many things that we’ve not had. Now we’re just waiting, and it’s been so stressfull. This passage is just what I needed to hear today. Again, thank you for all the prayers on our behalf, and I’ll keep everyone posted.
I love today’s devotion,it’s another reminder that no matter what we’re going through God is rite there with us.JEREMIAH29:11-FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU DECLARES THE LORD,PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU,PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE.I have learned to trust God whatever the situation and that the problem i’m faced with just becomes part of my testimony.We cannot speak about something if we did not experience it for ourselves and then be an encouragement to someone faced with that same situation.God never makes a mistake by what He sends our way,and sometimes its not always roses,but he wants us to rely on Him and not on our own strength.Lisa God knows where you are every hour of every day,He knows what you think, He knows each word that you might say and although there are times you’ve stepped out of His will,you’ve never been out of His care.All God requires of you is to be obedient,take courage and just trust Him.I’ve been verbally abused by my own husband and i’ve cried bitter tears.I did not understand why this was happening to me but i had to turn my focus on God’s word and what HE required of me as a wife.I started praying for my husband and speaking the possitive over him.I also had to thank God for the work He was doing in my husband’s life,slowly the changes started to take place.My situation became my testimony.To all the ladies, He didn’t bring us this far to leave us,He didn’t teach us to swim to let us drown,He didn’t build His home in us to move away,He didn’t lift us up to let us down.Take courage God bless.
WOW! What a kick in the head this devotional was for me! I love being reminded of God’s awesome love and power for me!
As the friend in the devetional, I also had a great paying job which I loved my job! I traveled to new places and even met my husband as a result of this job.
However, due to illness, I too began losing too many days at work and had to come to the sad fact of going on permanent disability. I had always been so active – church, volunteer work, traveling – now it’s a great day if I can walk around the block and still cook dinner at night for my husband.
In the beginning, I felt like I was in a hole – I didn’t even feel God speaking to me when I read my devotions and had my prayer time.
I never asked “why me” – I had figured, why not me! But I felt empty inside spiritually. Then one day, reading the Psalms – I came across Psalm 4 – especially verse 4 – Meditate within your heart on your bed and be still! Talk about a 2×4 up alongside me head!
Then I came across another verse – Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and hope. Boy, I really clung to that verse for a long time!
After reading Jeremiah 29 a few more times, I came across verses 5 through 14 – WOW – another 2×4 up alongside the head! Because of Israel’s captivity in Babylon, the Lord told them to build houses, get married, have children – LIFE IS NOT OVER!!!!!!! YAHOO! And verse 14, God says – and I will bring you back from your captivity! GLORY!
I slowly began to see that the Lord wanted me to be still – I was always so busy with my time – some of it “working for the Lord” – He just wanted me for Himself for awhile.
And even though our income has been greatly reduced, the Lord has NEVER FAILED US!! My husband and I have seen God provide for us time and time again – we have not lacked for anything! And I praise Him each day for all He has given us – not only financially, but in new friends, new opportunities and ministries – I am amazed!
If there are any of you who feel God is not speaking to you – you feel He has deserted you – think again! BE STILL – He may just want you all to Himself for awhile so He can show you how wonderful He really is! Life isn’t really over and the Lord will bring you out of your captivity!
I can really identify with Cindy. However, I want to remind her that she and her husband both took a vow before God to be married until death. Unless he physically abuses her, I would ask her to try to see what she is to learn through
the trials that God has trusted to her. Nothing can touch us unless it first goes through Jesus. He has borne it all for us on Calvary. When the trials become so hard that we think we can stand no more, picture Jesus on the cross, bearing what He went through of us.
Hi, Doris,
Thanks for your comment. Did you intend to respond to LISA (not Cindy)?
i WAS REPLYING TO THE ENTRY BY cINDY ON jAN 29 T 6:13 AM. mY HUSBAND ALSO HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM AND i, TOO, WAS TEMPTED TO LEAVE THE MARIAGE. fORTUNATELY, i WAS ABLE TO STAY BY PRAYER AND BY SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES TO SEE WHAT i COULD SAY AND DO TO KEEP MYSELF IN THE lORD’S WILL. hE DID HELP ME TO HANG IN THERE FOR MANY YEARS. mY HUSBAND DIED IN 1993 AND i AM SO GLAD i DID NOT GIVE UP ON HIM,
Doris,
Thanks for sharing your story of persevering in your marriage commitment.
May your words be of encouragement to both Cindy and Lisa (and all who land here.)
I have been a Christian since a child. I am middleaged now. I have seen him do great and mighty things in my life. Things only He can do. But right now I feel so alone. I feel He is miles and miles away. And I don’t understand why when i need His help so much, He seems to be so far away.
Ronda
When something like this has happen to me, I find that I have to remember that it is In HIS TIME NOT MINE that HE does things. This is where patience comes in. It is hard to be patient I know its one thing I have problems with but HE WILL answer you. Just give it time and HIS WILL, WILL be done
Chris
Ronda, I remember many years ago when I felt the same as you. Then an old saint wisely reminded me that if I felt away from the Lord, guess who moved.
It is true. When w begin to seek His face and turn to Him, He’ll still be there. He never changes.
After reading this devotional I am reminded of the words that my grandmother told me after I asked her how you make it through such a difficult time. A time when all that you want to do is throw in the towel and give up. MY grandmother told me that when things seem like there is no end in site to remind myself, “this to shall pass”. It has gotten me through every situation in my life when I have felt hopeless. I am so thankful for God’s encouraging Word.
May God bless you all!