It’s been an interesting few days.

God-willing, our youngest son will be returning to our Michigan home shortly on his Christmas break.  He is currently competing on a team in an intramural bowling league at the college he attends.  He was excited to know that there was a bowling alley less than a mile from our house.  He intended to visit it frequently to improve his skills.

This week that 6-decade-old facility burned to the ground, making news across the state.  He’ll now have to travel a bit further to work on his delivery and spin, and he’ll get there less often.  A shocking and disappointing turn of events.

Friday morning my wife climbed in her van to drive to the school where she teaches.  The van wouldn’t start.  Her wonderful husband (me!) tried to come to her rescue.  But a quick inspection under the hood revealed a battery leak and damaged battery cables.  No immediate rescue possible.

This set off a chain reaction of unexpected results.  My wife had to call in and excuse herself from teaching.  I had to drive our other vehicle around town to prep for the repair.  Arrangements were made to tow the van to a shop.  And I had to postpone my multiple visits scheduled for the morning to deal with the unanticipated dilemma.

In short, the day went very differently than either my wife or I expected.

It’s not the first time unforeseen circumstances have happened in our personal “world,” and it certainly won’t be the last.  Nevertheless, these interesting few days led me to some introspection.

As humans, our usual approach to life is to orchestrate our activities day-by-day, fully expecting to see our plans come to fruition.  Often they do (by the grace of God).  But every now and then the Lord has to remind us that we are not in control of events as much as we like to think we are.

And sometimes the Lord really shakes things up to show us our complete incompetence at running our lives and reining in circumstances.  (Or reigning over them, for that matter!)

This is good for us!  We need reminders of who the true God is, for we are far too prone to crown ourselves as gods.  We are God’s creation and not the Creator.  We are subject to circumstances instead of ruling over them.  We are carried by the currents instead of directing them; blown by the breezes instead of funneling them.

This is a hard truth to hear, but a critical one to recognize.

Thomas a’ Kempis, a 15^th-century German theologian, summarized this fact when he wrote (in Latin) the well-known maxim, “Man proposes, but God disposes.”

The Lord states this truth several ways through Solomon: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Proverbs 16:9).  Then, a few chapters later, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).

And the principle doesn’t only hold true for individuals, but entire countries! “The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples” (Psalm 33:10).

It’s a concept the Scriptures emphasize repeatedly.

For example, James writes, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’ (James 4:13-15).

There is also Jesus’ striking story of the foolish rich man who made extensive plans to enjoy his wealth, only to have the Lord demand his life that night (Luke 12:16-21).  And multiple real-life Bible events as well, such as the tower of Babel, Pharaoh in Egypt, Haman in Esther’s day, and many more.

Even Jesus’ enemies had their own plans, conniving to arrest him, kill him, and “get rid of him.”  Little did they know that they were fulfilling God’s plans and promises, and their selfish and evil intentions only served to accomplish God’s loving purposes to secure salvation, and ultimately to exalt Jesus.

It really is true: “man proposes, but God disposes.”  Stated differently, “man suggests; God corrects.”  Or perhaps my favorite summary of all: “man plans, and God laughs.”

The point is … we make recommendations on our lives, but the Lord is the one who makes the ultimate decisions.  We must recognize this truth and acquiesce to our God.  Our plans are little lines in the seashore sand, and no matter how ambitious or ingenious they may be, it is the waves of our God which refashion them as he sees fit.

So you think you have things figured out?  Not a chance!  But thankfully our God does!

And thankfully, our God is a God we can trust implicitly.  He loves us beyond comprehension, working “all things for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).

Furthermore, he makes this promise to us: “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” (Jeremiah 29:11).

To which we might reply, “OK, Lord, with your help, my plan going forward is to trust you, and to fall into and follow your plans!”