Wrong Place at the Right Time
posted by Daniel Blackaby
6Jan
Books? Check! Pencils? Check! PowerPoint visuals? Check! Notes? Check! Everything was in place to insure an efficient group-project planning meeting. Well, ALMOST everything, there still remained one slightly problematic detail–my entire group was missing.
Group projects are placed right up alongside The Phantom Menace and delayed airplanes on my list of most-frustrating-things. They have long been the bane of my student life for two reasons. First there’s always the major anxiety attack when asked to pick groups. The other beef I have with them is that free-loaders have a field-day with it, chilling out with their cell phones while I write their speeches.
On this particular occasion I arrived promptly at 3:00 pm at room E105, ready to work. Being the first one there I thought I’d save some time and organize our notes and equipment. I glanced at my watch; They’re ALL fifteen minutes late! Furiously I stuck my head into the hall in search for my fugitive group members, but there was no trace. Impatiently I begin pacing around the room muttering unkind sentiments about the injustice I had been served. I glanced back at my watch, forty-five minutes late! Falling to my knees I bellowed out “O, woe is me! To have seen what I have seen, see what I see!”
“Um…excuse me…Daniel?” Spinning my head towards the sound of the intrusive voice I beheld Katie, a member of my long-lost-group. Before I had a chance to rain my fury down upon her she continued, “What are you doing here? We’ve been waiting for the last forty-five minutes for you to show up! We’re in room E205, like we planned!”
Gulp…
Have you ever experienced this same incident with God? I know I personally have on many occasions. I’m over in one place making great plans for my life and to do great things for God, but grow frustrated when it seems like God’s not blessing them or helping them flourish. I have learned that in those situations the problem is not with God, but with us. My greatest, most complex and elaborate plans do not impress God, and He is under no obligation to simply bless me like a genie I summon on command. The reality is that while I’m slaving away on my own plans God is at work somewhere else.
Three years ago I felt I was ready to venture out from my hometown and attend college far from home. I begin making plans and getting excited about all the possibilities. I prayed hard for God to help the details work out smoothly, but my plans never materialized and I remained home for not one, but two more full years. I was frustrated and didn’t understand why God wasn’t providing. However, when a new situation came up and I moved to South Carolina last summer, I realized that all along God had far greater plans than what I had conjured up. Whose plans have you been following? I encourage you to seek God’s guidance, because He may be just down the hall waiting for you to come join Him in His amazing work.
“’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9
About the Author
Daniel a 22 year old English Major at North Greenville University, SC. He is an avid reader, and collector classic literature. He also has a passion for music with over 900 CDs in his libary. He plays guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard, and is currently playing in Christain rock band called Echoes in Eternity (www.myspace.com/eiemusic). He loves traveling, and has to date visited 5 diffrent contienits. Daniel’s guilty pleause is that he is huge fan of Gilmore Girls! You can also find him on Facebook.
