When Our Plan B is God’s Plan A

Last updated on: November 2, 2017 at 9:33 pm by MaryJo Petersen Castro

When Our Plan B is God’s Plan A 2017-11-02T21:33:45-04:00 MaryJo Petersen Castro

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Plan A was the plan my mom put her entire godly faith in, plan B was never really discussed, except one time. She laid on the couch fighting advanced breast cancer that had morphed into bone cancer when my mom talked about plan B. We talked about many things; for she was also my friend.

I asked my mom if God choose not to heal her and when she got to heaven, to please tell our son how much we love and miss him, and we can’t wait to see him again. I gave her other messages to give other family members who have passed on. My mom said she would be waiting for me and our family at the river that runs through the Holy City that flows from the throne of God (Revelation 21:10, 22:1-2).

Plan B is what God chose for my mom. She was too young to leave us at barely 61. I don’t understand why God chose to take our son or my mom so early in life. I don’t try to understand anymore. We will never fully grasp God’s ways in this life because God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways His ways, says the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). We must trust that He knows what’s best.

Letting go of our demands to know “Why?” and giving up the feelings of having been robbed of our loved ones requires grace and complete faith and trust. Grace gives us the ability to do what we are unable to do in our own strength. And trust says I don’t have to know “why” because God does. God gave me grace and strengthened my faith to live at peace with His sovereign plans. After all, we all belong to God first before we belong to someone else.

I lived out of state at the time and was flying back home when my mom walked into heaven. God knew I would be heartbroken, so He sent His comforter ahead of me, who waited patiently for me to enter my parent’s bedroom where mom died only three hours earlier. I prepared myself for an emotional meltdown but instead, when I walked in my mom’s room, I was overcome by a tangible feeling- like someone was lovingly holding me and at the same time, a peace like I had never experienced before, overtook my mind and calmed my whole body.

I was completely and utterly overwhelmed by the love of God.

God cares about our grief (Matthew 5:4). Jesus demonstrated this as He shed tears along with Mary and Martha at the tomb of Lazarus. God has feelings just like we do- after all, we are made in His image. He sends His Holy Spirit to comfort us (John 14:26). He loves us beyond anything we can comprehend in this life. We simply don’t have the ability to see the whole picture in this life, but one day- it will be unveiled and we will see and understand every mystery (I Corinthians 13:12).

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

In the meantime, we must hold on to our hope in Christ. We must trust God completely and believe He is working on our behalf, even when He chooses to bring home those whose lives, we believe, ended way too soon.

Be encouraged, there is so much to look ahead to, But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

If God chooses a plan B in your circumstances, how will you respond to Him?

Spiritual Growth

devotional

Previous Post

October 27, 2017

Unanswered Prayers

Next Post

November 8, 2017 Harvesting Hope

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Bible Study Communication Courage For Life Discipleship Emotional Growth Holy Week Leadership Personal Growth Real Life Stories Relationships Serving Others Spiritual Growth Uncategorized YouVersion

Select a Month May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What Persian king chose Esther as queen?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Artaxerxes Xerxes (Ahasuerus) Cyrus Darius