Have you ever experienced something and then thought to yourself, well that didn’t go the way I thought it was going to. For me, I usually think that just about every time I decide I want to cook something with Jackson. I always see the cute little picture of us baking in my head and in reality it is a disaster in my kitchen; I have egg in my hair and Jackson is done after the first two steps. I have said it many times after a project we did together and I end up doing most of the work. Or times when I think this is going to be a really cute picture and then Jackson sticks out his tongue or makes a silly face. Yup, that didn’t go according to plan.

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The other day we were struggling with some things with Jackson’s behavior and I thought to myself, again, well that night didn’t go the way I thought it was going to go. And right in that moment I heard God say to me those same exact words, “Well that didn’t go the way I thought it was going to go.” Jackson and I were in the car when it happened and I said to Jackson, do you ever hear Jesus talking to you? He said, “No, not much.” Of course he did, he is only four and doesn’t quite get the concept of the Holy Spirit. Oh, but did I hear Him in that moment. I just smiled and thought more about what Jesus was trying to tell me.

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How many times have you tried to fix something on your own? Or completely do something on your own without consulting with Jesus first? I cannot tell you how many times I have done and have looked back on those times and thought to myself, well that didn’t go the way I thought it was going to go. Hmm… I wonder why.

Or how many times I have thought to myself my life hadn’t gone according to plan. Well of course, that was my plan. I was going to have two car seats and a minivan way before I was 30. That was my dream. That was my plan for my life. Jesus had a different plan. A plan that included suffering, pain, hurt and longing to be a mommy. And a subtle reminder that my life had already been planned out, long before I came along. A reminder that no matter what plan I came up for my life, there was something better that lied ahead. It may not come the way I had imagined it or thought it would go but somehow in the end, it always ends up better than I imagined.

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Now imagine Jesus saying it to you. Well that didn’t go the way I thought it was going to go.  Talk about conviction. I wonder how many times he has thought that about me? Probably too many times to count. Well guess what? It is a good thing he doesn’t keep track of my mistakes or failures. But even better, He quietly reminds me that I need Him more than I think do.

Listen for Jesus’ quiet and soft reminders today that your life is in His hands.