God Didn’t Ask

God didn’t ask me if I wanted to be alive during the circus that is 2020. He didn’t ask me if I wanted my husband to go to prison or if I wanted to lose my house. He didn’t ask if I wanted boys or girls when I was pregnant. He didn’t ask my friend if he wanted cancer. He didn’t ask my coworker if she wanted a special needs child. He didn’t ask hurricane victims if they wanted their houses destroyed. He didn’t ask that couple if they wanted to struggle with infertility. He didn’t ask any of us.

God didn’t ask before surprising you with a promotion on the job. He didn’t ask before blessing you with an unexpected pregnancy. He didn’t ask if you were ready to meet the love of your life before putting her right in front of you. He didn’t ask if you wanted to miraculously survive that car accident.

Why doesn’t God ask us these things? Why do we seemingly not get any input in major, life-altering situations? I can’t say for sure, but I do have a theory: He doesn’t ask because we would make the wrong choice. Isaiah 46:10 says, “Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.”

We might choose to meet our soon-to-be spouse tomorrow, but God knows we need more time to prepare ourselves first- so He delays. We might choose to put off having children until the time is “right”, but God knows there are health problems down the road- so the right time is now. We may choose the job promotion now, but God knows we aren’t ready to handle the added responsibility yet or that the new position would be bad for our relationships- so we get turned down.

I saw a saying many years ago that I love: “God is so faithful to wreck your plans before they wreck you.” There are countless times that I wanted things to go a certain way, but they didn’t, and it turned out better than I ever dreamed.

For example: I wanted nothing more to work as a labor and delivery nurse or in the NICU (neonatal ICU). I finally got offered a job in the NICU, but it was on the night shift. As a single mom, that meant my kids would have to have a babysitter both overnight while I worked and during the day while I slept. It just wasn’t a possibility, and I was devastated! But a few months later, I got a job as a school nurse. Now, I have the exact same schedule as my kids and even get the whole summer off with pay! Trust God, He knows what He’s doing.

Proverbs 19:21- Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.