God’s Plan

by: Adam Stout

Growing up, I had a pet hamster named Gogey. We had a simple agreement. I cuddled and loved him, and he loved me back. I’d build him mazes out of blocks and put food in the mazes. I would hold him against my cheek. We were friends. But then he bit me and things changed. As I watched the blood drip from my fingertip I felt two things: pain and betrayal.

We have all felt those things. We have reached out lovingly and been bitten. And we have struck out at others the same way. Because people are like this, it is difficult to think differently about God. How could he have plans to prosper us when life is biting us?

When there are no easy answers, we look to Jesus as our model. Jesus had trust in God’s plan, even though it was difficult and painful. When others betrayed him, he was willing to stake his life on the belief that God’s plan of redemption was “for wholeness not for evil,” and to give us “a future and a hope.” Jesus’ trust in his Father is the basis of ours.