Sometimes we find that
our plans change.
Anything strange? Not
really. We all have times and experiences when our nicely laid plans come
grumbling down, leaving us wondering what God’s plan for us is.
This week at PAFCOE, we
definitely experienced changed plans!
Every batch, we have a
one-week health expo before our evangelistic meetings to bring in interested
people and this time, it is scheduled to start this Sunday – September 1. We had made arrangements to use the
Philippine Heart Center as the venue, but just a little more than one week
before the health expo is to start, they cancelled their agreement to let us
use their place.
So now what? The flyers
were already on the press just ready to start printing.
We had only a week to
find another place to hold the health expo.
Changed plans…
But we remembered one
of the Lord’s promises which is, “…. in every difficulty [we should see] a call
to prayer.” Desire of Ages, page 667.
So we began to pray
earnestly for God’s leading and God directed us to have the health expo right
here at the Manila Center Church. Thankfully we were able to call to tell the
printer to stop the flyer printing until we had made a decision for what to do
and just in time, the flyers were ready for distributing to the surrounding
communities.
Changed plans, but it
meant changing to God’s plans.
And God doesn’t just
change plans, He changes lives, too!
Here is the testimony
of one of our students:
“My life before I met
Christ was full of anxieties, fears and uncertainties. I was a kind of person
who had a lot of worries. Yes, I believed in God and His existence, but I
didn’t know much about Him, especially His character and as a result, I had a
lot of doubts about things around me and the future. Because of those
uncertainties, I always found time to murmur and complain. I always focused the
time to look upon the negative side of things, instead of focusing on the good
side. I might look okay outside, but truthfully, I was gloomy, sad and fearful
inside.
Then I met someone who
introduced me to Jesus, not by words, but through his life. This person seemed
to be very happy in his life despite all the difficulties he is facing and
always found good in everything. That fixed my thoughts on the God that he
knew. Then, little by little, I started knowing who God really is. I found out
that He is a living God who looks ever all His creation with love and that not a
single one is neglected. I started to how Him as a being that is not distant
and different but loving, compassionate, and understanding.
Since then, I am trying
to live my life in complete trust to Him. Yes, I still have trials and
difficulties in life – most are even bigger than before. But I have learned to
fully put my trust in my God. He is bigger than all my problems put together! I
have learned trust and faith and now, He is still teaching me lessons about them.
Now, I can live today and do not fear in the future because I know there is a
God who holds it.”
Yes, God changes plans
and changes lives too! And sometimes he uses people like you and me to help
someone see what God is really like.
How true it is that:
“Often our plans fail, that God’s
plans for us may succeed.”
