“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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

Devotion

“I have a plan for your life, but it’s not Taiwan.”

After six years, I left Asia and returned to the U.S. with every intention of completing my Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages and then returning to a culture and a people I had grown to love. Taiwan was a dream come true! However, I was just two weeks away from the appointment service with my sending organization, and I found myself doubled-over on the floor with so much angst that my stomach was in excruciating pain. Some friends invited me to a conference they were hosting in the Atlanta area, so I went. For three days, I fasted and I prayed … and I sought the Lord with all my heart.

I had completed seminary, sold all of my belongings, moved out of my condo, and resigned from an amazing job. In my mind, life in America had come to an end, and I was pursuing my dream assignment in the “foreign mission” field. This was why I was born! Yet, why did I still not have peace? I thought I was being obedient. I thought I was pressing into faith and following hard after Jesus. I had made personal sacrifices and decisions to live a life of total abandonment to Jesus. But still, why was I in so much angst?

At the end of the three days, I broke the fast with communion. It was there at the altar, kneeling before God, completely surrendered and emptied of myself, that I heard those words clearly spoken over me, “I have a plan for your life, Angela, but it’s not Taiwan.” Friends, I cannot adequately describe the peace that came over me in that moment.

Now, I’m not gonna lie! At midnight that night, I shot up out of bed with all the questions running through my head … “Was that really your voice, God, or was that the enemy trying to discourage me? Are you going to provide for me? Am I a disappointment to the mission organization that has invested so much in me?” In ways that only he can, God lovingly and undisputedly addressed each of my concerns over the next eight hours.

One of my favorite Hebrew names for God is, ‘emet. It means God is faithful and trustworthy, that he is true to his word and can absolutely be trusted.

So when he speaks over us words like we find in this familiar passage, he can be trusted!

It was during this season Psalm 34 became especially meaningful to me. While the entire passage is rich with meaning and encouragement, I pray verse 4 draws YOU in: “I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” The same God who is able …

• to take a shepherd boy and make him a king
• to take a foreign-born slave and place him second in command in the greatest nation of his day
• to take a young, virgin Hebrew girl, and give her a child—not just any child, but one who makes a way for all who places their faith and trust in him to be adopted as a child of God.

… this same God knows you by name. He carefully crafted you with an amazing story in mind. He has a beautiful plan for your life. Will you trust him? Will you release your dreams in order to embrace his? Though it may not always be easy, I can tell you from personal experience: his dreams for you will always be greater than what you dream for yourself!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I praise you for being my Provider and Protector. Thank you for answering me when I call. I pray that you will continue to reveal your plan to me daily and that I would trust more in your plan over the plans I have for myself. I love and praise you, Amen. 

Angela Presley
Pastor of Global Missions 

Resources

• Watch Resumé Not Required message by Andy Rauschkolb.
• Listen to Trust in God by Elevation Worship.
• Watch Get Out of the Boat message by John Ortberg.

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