Why does God change our plans?

In our last life group of the year we had a prayer workshop session and one of the stations was the ‘Wonder Wall’ where we could anonymously write a question down that we had about God, the Bible, our Faith, etc... We decided (under the suggestion of Jez, who’s clearly trying to get out of writing all the summer blogs!) to try and take a question each and research and learn the answer the best we could about that question. So... here is mine:

“Why does God suddenly change our plans causing us hurt?”

I’m going to start by flipping the question slightly... Does God really suddenly change our plan or is it that this was the plan all along and it’s just that we are not ‘all knowing’ like he is that we feel it has all been suddenly changed and that our world has turned upside down? I want to pick out the word ‘our’. If we are in Christ Jesus and saved under HIS grace and are therefore living for HIM. Is our plan really the plan we want to follow? Should we not be seeking and listening out for God to tell us His plan for us over our lives?
?

Maybe this is what you meant, and I’m annoying you know by being picky over wordage – if this is the case I do apologise! So putting the emphasis back to God changing the current plan or direction of our lives: Well from what I’ve heard God he is all knowing (as mentioned above) which means he completely understands and sympathises, even empathises with our situation. Remember that God too has endured suffering – I mean look what he did for us on the cross. He endured the pain of carrying rough splintered wood at least twice the height of himself for miles, a sharp interwoven crown of blood thirsty thorns hard pushed upon his head and long rusty nails being driven into his hands and feet, before finally enduring death. This was all for things that weren’t and aren’t even his fault! But for the nation that he loves and forgives in His prefect grace. So Jesus knows about suffering; he even prayed that it would be taken away from him, much like we do: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me...” Luke 22:42 and he cried out to God: “...my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matt 27:46. So it’s ok to be hurt and confused and cry out to God - he himself did!
!)

I honestly believe that God’s plan for us never changes: “In him we were...chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him...” Ephesians 1:11 It says so in the bible – and you don’t argue with the bible! - “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true...”2 Tim 3:16. Ephesians 1:11(above) literally says that God has chosen us and when he did so, he already had a plan for our whole life- so he won’t change it! If it’s predestined by God, we will end up doing it! And don’t worry, it will always be something to demonstrate His goodness and that is suited to you, because he knows your character better than anyone. For example, he won’t make you become a preacher if you are more suited to evangelise in your workplace, nor will he send you on a road of suffering.

Things hurt and we can feel distant from God because we as a human race brought sin into the world. That’s not to say God will specifically punish you for your specific wrongs and praise you for your specific rights (that would be karma – which we don’t believe in as Christians!) It’s just that bad things are a result of sin, so they will happen whether you are the best person in the world or the worst. These things can bring us away from God but never so far that he doesn’t pull us back again. Maybe you change, a situation changes, or an opportunity comes up etc and it sends you wavering off track for a bit, but God knows you, so he knows this is going to happen and he’s already worked out a way to bring you back again. This could be a dramatic change that confuses and even hurts us at the time, but I’ve always found God in these situations when looking back. It’s all part of His plan and he can see the bigger picture, unlike us who are stuck with our magnified ‘me and my world’ view. Not because we are selfish, it’s just the only world we really have a true understanding for.
So to conclude, all I can really say is God’s plan is always and has always been mapped out for you. Jesus said “...I am the way, and the truth, and the life...” John 14:6 but Various things can cause us to waver from the plan (both things that are specifically our fault and completely not our fault) and they can hurt. Alot. They hurt because we have emotions and we have emotions because “God created man in His own image...” Genesis 1:27, and God is full of emotions and feeling. The best we can do is try and keep on track with what Gods plan is for us and the way we can do that is to keep asking and seeking His way, His name and His direction. I therefore challenge you: how on track are you with God’s plan for you? Pray for Him to reveal more about what it is, but also pray about the things that hurt. It’s ok to feel like that and I pray that he will comfort you and bring you great joy and peace over the situation.