Best laid plans

First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the news about your faithfulness is being spread throughout the whole world. I serve God in my spirit by preaching the good news about God’s Son, and God is my witness that I continually mention you in all my prayers. I’m always asking that somehow, by God’s will, I might succeed in visiting you at last. I really want to see you to pass along some spiritual gift to you so that you can be strengthened. What I mean is that we can mutually encourage each other while I am with you. We can be encouraged by the faithfulness we find in each other, both your faithfulness and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I planned to visit you many times, although I have been prevented from coming until now. I want to harvest some fruit among you, just as I have done among the other Gentiles. I have a responsibility both to Greeks and to those who don’t speak Greek, both to the wise and to the foolish. That’s why I’m ready to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. (Romans 1:8-15, CEB)

Best laid plans…

Sometimes we think we know what we need to do and how it needs to get done.

Paul here tells the Romans he had wanted to come and be with them many times, but it never seemed to work out.

What do you want to do that has never actually worked out.

Maybe there is a reason for that.

Sometimes our plans and God’s plans don’t align, and we need to succumb to the understanding that God’s plans are the best way to go.

If things don’t work out, maybe there is something better about to happen.

Loving People. Loving God.