The Lord's Counsel

There are many plans in a man's heart,

Nevertheless the Lord's counsel--

that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21, NKJV

I used to be more of a planner.

20 years ago, I had everything all mapped out. On paper. And I believed it, too. College. Law School. Politics. Certainly by this time, I had planned on running for governor of Texas with my sights on the White House. With my wife and 6 (or 8 or 12) children at my side. Oh, also a published author, independently wealthy, and owning the family farm. On which I had rebuilt the farm house, only modern. It was going to be cool.
 

Then God stepped in and intervened.

How? one might ask. And skeptics of course would say that it was just coincidence or my imagination, that God doesn't personally intervene in people's lives the way I think He intervened in mine. But most skeptics don't know God the way that I do. In fact, I'm convinced that skepticism is the result of NOT having a relationship with Him. But I digress.

I had my life all planned out. And then God turned my little red wagon upside-down. First He used the words of an evangelist to reset my dreams. God called me into the ministry when I was a child, called me to preach, called me to be a pastor, and I had been running from that call. But one night in Clovis, New Mexico, I heard Him speaking directly to me through the mouth of another preacher, reminding me of His call on my life. I knew then I could not be happy on my present course. As alluring as a life--a successful life--in politics looked at the time, even occupying the Oval Office would be a step down from the High Call of God.

Then God disrupted my love life--at seven-thirty on a Saturday morning with a collect call that said, "I'm breaking up with you because I have a date tonight." So long, sucker! And of course, there is much more to the story than that, but that's all you're going to get today.

With my heart set on ministry, my mind still said education. I had a scholarship, a job as a youth pastor with a place to live, and I figured I might need a degree to fall back upon. God had other plans. He used the words of an atheist lesbian anarchist professor to spur me into abandoning my educational plans. It wasn't the fallback position He wanted me to prepare for; it was the primary position I needed to be concerned about.

So I went to Bible College. Through the almighty hand of His provision, everything was paid for. I was looking three years down the road, thinking I would leave Bible College with a degree, a suitable spouse, and a promising future. That entire semester, all I did was build relationships with the people around me. I was looking for Miss Right. But God got ahold of me, using the words of a professor that had nothing to do with matchmaking or graduating. It had to do with intercessory prayer, and I can take you to the very spot (that is, if it's still there) where I know my life changed because God intervened one more time. There was something in my life He wanted to deal with, had to deal with for my sake. And when I got up from my place of prayer, nothing was the same.

When I went home at Christmas, I had a message to preach. My Dad often said that before I left home, I couldn't play the piano very well, and I certainly couldn't preach. Four months away at Bible College, and all of a sudden I could play and preach and even he was impressed. The anointing of God will do that for you. And when my Dad's youth pastor suddenly resigned, my path was clear. It wasn't a return to college that was in my future; it was on-the-job training under the best mentor a man could have. And on those things, I've never looked back.

Don't get me wrong. I still make plans. I make plans for the day, for the week, for the month, for the year. But I always keep them flexible. None of my plans are ever written in stone, because in twenty years, if I've learned anything I've learned this. My plans aren't always His plans. And His plans are infinitely better. I certainly never expected--twenty years ago--that I would be where I am today. I won't waste the space by telling all the details of life since I abandoned my plans, but after a winding, rocky road that has been both productive and painful, I feel like I'm making a fresh start with a clean slate and God is saying, "Now when we do this THIS TIME, it's gonna be better for you. Just stay close to Me. And listen."

I can make all the plans in the world. Nevertheless (and that truly is a million-dollar word)...it is the Lord's counsel that will stand in the end. If I will stay close to Him. And listen.