When God Changes The Plan

“On the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.’ So she persuaded us.” Acts 16:13-15 

As I surveyed the forecasted weekend weather before a recent race—calling for record highs over the weekend—I knew I had a choice to make. Not having had the time to acclimate (it takes about three weeks) to high heat and humidity this early in the season, I realized that completing 110 miles at the first annual American Bottoms 100 race I had signed up for months ago would probably not be possible. So, I dropped down to the 55-mile distance. 

I wondered what God had planned.

As someone who’s been walking with the Lord for a while, I’ve learned that nearly every change in plan in my life has a purpose. That’s why I was anxious to see what God had in store for this one. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to find out. Not wanting to waste all the training I had put in, I was first prompted to find another 100-mile race the following weekend where the Race Director would allow my husband—sweet Larry—to preach a short message before the start. And I found one! That meant we would have another opportunity to share the Gospel. 

Yay, right?

But the best part was yet to come. When I messaged the Race Director at American Bottoms to drop down in distance, he confirmed that Larry would still be preaching at the start line and offered me the option of sharing a message before the 55-mile start as well, since the starts were at different times and locations. Of course, I said, “Yes!” Then I prayed and began preparing a message that I became confident was meant for someone at the race—a message God was going to great lengths to deliver. 

But isn’t that just like our God?

Speaking of the great lengths God often goes to in order to give us opportunities, Acts 16 gives us the story of a time when God, through a series of events, changed the plan of Paul, Timothy, and Silas to go to Troas. It was there that Paul had a vision that prompted them to go to Macedonia, “concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.” After they had been there for a few days, their mission became apparent. God had gone to great lengths to lead them to a fellow believer named Lydia, a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were born again and baptized, she begged them, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded them.

But the story gets even better! The chapter goes on to tell us that this change to the plan eventually led to Silas and Paul’s imprisonment for healing a certain slave girl who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. And that imprisonment then led to the conversion and baptism of the jailer and his family! 

Does God go to great lengths to save people, or what?

So, if you’re experiencing a “redirect” of your own today, rejoice and look around, my friend! God goes to great lengths to deliver His message of salvation, and you don’t want to miss out on the blessing of being the one He calls to deliver it.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that Your ways are not our ways and that Your ways are always better than ours. Lord, when our plans don’t go as expected, help us to be filled with anticipation rather than anxiety, so that we would, like Paul, be ready and willing to go wherever You call us, when You call us, and to do whatever it is You have called us to do. Help us always to trust You so we might never miss out on the blessings of serving You. It’s in Your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!

Melissa Sharp is an ultra runner and running coach who has completed more than 100 marathons and ultra marathons. Melissa has learned how to keep running the race of life for the glory of Christ even though she endured decades of domestic abuse. Melissa is a survivor. Through her daily blog thejoyfilledrunner she inspires others to live in the strength of Christ.