Life sometimes takes us in different directions than we had planned. You may have expected to have children but you don’t. Or you may have expected a career in a particular field and circumstances have prevented that career.

When the realities of our day-to-day lives do not match up to our five-year plans; it’s good to stop to consider that they may be God-given opportunities. God is never surprised. He knows the end from the beginning and he sees how all the pieces fit together. I suspect that he takes great delight in surprising us.

For centuries Christians have inserted the phrase “God willing” in their letters and conversations. You still hear, “See you next week, God willing.”

It’s a reminder that we are to hold all of our plans open to whatever God has in store for us.