We use strategies every day, whether we are trying to lose weight, find a quicker way to get to work and avoid a traffic jam, fit one more event into our weekend or get ourselves out of debt. We also use strategies when fighting wars or trying to outmaneuver someone else to get ahead.
Strategies can be helpful, but they don’t always work. Life happens and you have to deal with it. You can believe you have the best strategy, but even the best strategies fail. Why do they fail? Because there are unexpected circumstances that we get blind-sided by, or we haven’t thought things through in enough detail. I know someone who thought they had every detail of their life worked out. They wanted to be married by a certain age, have children at a certain age and be retired by a certain age. They planned their retirement to the penny and talked about the day they could retire and do the things they longed to do.
Imagine how they felt about their strategy when they found out their investment banker was a scam artist who fled the country. I realize this is an extreme scenario, but it is a great example of having a great strategy, but not the best plan. One time I invited friends over for dinner and after working through every detail of that dinner, I forgot to turn on the oven.
In both cases I’m sure you would feel like a failure. Sometimes, things happen that are out of our control and sometimes things happen despite our being in control.
When I began doing my 5K’s the only strategy I had was to put one foot in front of the other. The more of them I completed, the more my strategy changed. My new strategy was to always push myself hard enough to beat my own time. My strategy was about encouraging others to step out of their comfort zone and dare to do something they had never done before.
For years I had tried different strategies to lose weight. I tried over and over again. I’d have a little success, but only to find myself back to square one. It was clear my strategies were not working. The reason they didn’t work wasn’t because of lack of trying. It was because I didn’t need a strategy, I needed Jesus.
I’ve had Jesus in my life since I was a young girl, but I focused too much on my strategies to keep the peace, rather than trusting God for His plan to work things out. I thought if I could keep everyone happy my life would be great and so would theirs. However, in creating this world I forgot other people were involved who I had no control over. My strategy lead to years of emotional eating. I used food to cover up my fears and failures. My strategy failed miserably because even though I had a method to my madness. I didn’t have a plan. My self-sufficiency led me to believe that Jesus didn’t have time for my problems. I had created this world and wore a hard exterior that I would not allow to be cracked. I thought it was a great strategy until it almost killed me.
The Lord says, in Jeremiah 29:11
“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.”
There is a difference between a strategy and a plan. A strategy is a series of maneuvers used to accomplish something, but a plan is a road map for accomplishing a definite purpose, a detailed proposal for achieving a specific outcome.
I wasn’t a strategy to the Lord. He didn’t have to outmaneuver me to receive a positive outcome. I was always His plan. My life is a detailed proposal created by God to achieve great things, because He is great! My strategies kept failing because I was looking through the wrong lens.
We can create a million strategies and try to get them to work, but without being part of God’s plan they will always come up short. They may work for a while, but it will only be a matter of time before they end up failing because the method doesn’t work. We don’t have to create a strategy to get God to love us because it was always His plan. It was His plan to prosper us, keep us safe, and give us hope for today and our future.
The enemy is always trying to set us up with his perfect strategy and make us believe we can maneuver our own way to success, but let’s face it: Satan never had a workable plan, because if Satan did he would have never allowed God's plan to become fulfilled through Jesus. Share on XSatan never had a workable plan, because if Satan did he would never have allowed God’s plan to become fulfilled through Jesus. The enemy uses many methods to distract us, but only God has had a plan since the beginning of time.
Jesus came with a purpose and a plan to redeem us from all of the enemy’s schemes and strategies. Remember, God is in the details and the enemy will use any method to get you away from God’s plan for your life.
Trust the plan God has for you! Stick to the Plan and Make Your Life Grand!
When I abide in Christ and ask Him what He wants me to do each moment, I am making my life the most grand that it can be.
Amen Sister! It is a grand life when we abide in Him!
“The enemy uses many methods to distract us, but only God has had a plan since the beginning of time.” – This is such truth! We can get distracted by all the shiny things in life – the quick fixes and no-fail strategies but they only schemes to get us away from God’s plan!
Hi, Melissa!
Shiny things are wonderful, but shining for Jesus is better for sure! Yes, the devil tries all kinds of schemes to distract us from our plan. We have to remember he is the ultimate deceiver! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I loved this, Sheila. I think I have been trying the strategy thing rather than the plan. I like how you differentiated between the two. Thanks so much for sharing your insight and wisdom. I really appreciate it. – Amy
http://stylingrannymama.com/
Hi, Amy!
Thank You for your encouragement. I love how we can learn from one another and I have learned a ton from your wisdom and insight as well! Also, I love your fashion sense too! Blessings, friend!
I’m still not sure, but I think I’m learning….
Hi, Andrea!
That is all God wants us to do is keep learning and growing!
That was how I looked at my last 5K too!! Forever one foot in front of another. Great post!!
Angela
Hi, Angela!
Isn’t this how we should approach life everyday? It would make our lives so much simpler to stick to the plan God has for us rather than always trying to figure it out. Thanks for sharing!
This is a great reminder! So many times I worry about what to do and I neglect to ask for the wisdom of God. He wants me to follow His plan, so why do I think I need to figure it out myself!
Hi, Julie!
Sister, you are not alone! I pray for wisdom and then I find myself trying to figure it out for myself. I have learned a new appreciation for patience for sure!
Thank you for this reminder! It’s easy to plan everything out, but we must remember too that we need to leave room for His plan.
Hi, Taylor!
Yes! If we don’t leave room for the Master Planner we have missed the whole point. God has a great plan and I need to remind my type “A” self I don’t always need to have a plan ready to go. It is okay to wait on God!
Love this reminder! I definitely am one to strategize, but I know I need to trust in God’s plan above all else. He has shown me time and again that His ways are always better!
Hi, Emily,
I’m with you! God has always shown me His plan is best and the more I put my trust in His plan the better my relationship becomes with Him! It is a Win! Win!
The plan thing is what I need to understand – I use the word “strategies” a lot
Hi, Andrea!
I think it is because the word “strategy” has become a buzz word. Satan loves to try to counterfeit a word to make it sound like it is a good thing, but His plan is BEST!
Everyone faces different challenges in life and it looks like you found yours. I really liked reading what you said about “encouraging others to step out of their comfort zone and dare to do something they had never done before.” I recently wrote a story about one of my hosts who found his own way of stepping outside of his comfort zone. I think you would be able to relate to it. I will leave the link below if you want to check it out. Great story!
https://www.alongtheway.today/single-post/2018/02/15/Chapter-Three-Everyone-Has-a-Shadow
Hi, Kaelyn!
Thank You for sharing your story! It was beautiful! I have decided challenges are just problems I haven’t solved yet! I’m thankful God has given each of us a story to share and encourage one another. Blessings!
Sometimes it’s hard to trust that God already has a plan for your life, especially when you can’t see that plan yourself. But having faith gets you through! And I have never looked back (other than losing loved ones) and wish things had worked out differently. He knows what He is doing!
Hi, Courtney!
I agree! It is hard, but when I allow myself to step out in faith the reward is incredible. Each day is a gift which God expects us to open otherwise we would never see the beauty of His heart!
Love this!! I never thought about the difference between a strategy and a plan, but you are so on point. Following God and trusting in Him and his plan is key.
Hi, Ayanna!
It is the key to our abundant life! Thank You for your encouragement! I love when God teaches me a new truth!
My plan has changed over the years as my focus has changed. I feel that hard work and positive energy with help you achieve your plan.
Hi, Kim!
My plan and focus has changed as well. The more I grow in Christ the more I understand about my faith and purpose. Being positive and working hard are great attributes to achieving the plan God has for us! Thanks for sharing!