I have found that when my plans fail, I will sometimes be so blessed to discover that is where God’s plans succeed. His good plans are often hidden within the disappointments or troubles we may find ourselves in. We need to learn to trust God even when we don’t understand what He is up to.
Faith believes that God can do anything even when He doesn’t. “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible'” (Mark 10:27).
My brother-in-law is a Pastor, and I asked him if he would come into the prison with me one night to preach at the chapel. We got him and two of the Pastors on his staff all signed up to come in. It took weeks to get their paperwork cleared so that I could escort them in for this one night.
Patience is more important than effort when doing kingdom work. “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient” (2 Timothy 2:24).
Finally, the night came, and we all met at the prison to go in. But at the first gate, one of the Pastors who came with my brother-in-law set off the alarm, and as it turns out had a metal pin inside of him. Without medical approval for this pin, there was no way he could come in.
When it doesn’t make any sense, that is where faith begins. “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
So, we went in without him, and he went off to get something to eat. They had come in one car, so he had to wait nearby until we were finished. I felt so bad for him as I know he was excited about coming in and ministering to these men at the prison.
Don’t let your expectations get in the way of God’s plan for your life. “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
We went inside and it was an excellent service. I remember one part was especially powerful. It was a short video about a ministry my brother-in-law did going into Southern Sudan. He was ministering to the military chaplains for the southern Sudanese army. This video was a call to live the life of godly men, willing to sacrifice all for the kingdom and their families.
The higher faith is not from knowing more but trusting more. “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8).
Afterward, we came out of the prison and met this man who had gone out to eat. While at the restaurant he met a young man and ended up witnessing to him and led him to the Lord Jesus. Had he not been prevented from entering the prison, this young man he witnessed to may never have heard the gospel nor come to salvation.
Our faith can be so full, that it spills over onto those around us. “…that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me” (Romans 1:12).
God had us minister in the prison that night, and I am sure the men in the prison were blessed. But in the problems of getting everyone into the prison, God was working out a better plan. We see so clearly in our natural that we often do not perceive the supernatural going on around us. The things we think are getting in the way may actually be the things God is causing to bring His plans to fruition.
In the kingdom, it is more important that we have faith than we have the things our faith is hoping for. “Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1 CEV).
Learn to rest in your circumstances, trusting God is sovereign over them all. Learn to see what God has in mind when your plans seem to unravel. Learn to see opportunity where others only see obstacles. Learn to pray that God would show you the way when you cannot see it. Keep walking in faith, even when you don’t understand what God is doing.
Blessings to you,
Paul Balius
All Scripture is quoted from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted. Review with the version you prefer. The best version is the one you read. An even better version is the one you live.
Thank You for helping me feel better about the waiting room of life…at times it is so overwhelming to me.
Your welcome, I think we all need to be reminded of God’s sovereignty and His great love for us.
I remember when God had motivated me to study scriptures on faith for a month. every time I would turn to venture away, He would bring me back; reminding me that faith was the currency of heaven and without faith, it was impossible to please him. I had read about faith many times in scriptures and wondered why he had chosen, faith when I had asked him for patience; while dealing with family issues! In obedience, I journaled many scriptures on faith visualized many examples.
One month later after a church service, a friend and I had lunch together. We talk about the service message and I commented that the message spoke to my heart. The message was Trust God in all things and do not lean on your own understanding. Remembering that it was my dad’s birthday on 06/12/16, I thanked God for the years he had been a part of my life as we ended lunch and returned home to relax.
One hour later I received a call from my son-in-law and he said: “hope you’re you sitting down”. Before I could answer, he said, your daughter died in her sleep. I try to speak but a scream rang out as I drop the phone and fell into a state of shock. I had lost myself in a state of deep solitude and as I was felt myself shutting down I began to cry, God to help me.
Instantly his sovereignty came in like a flood and reminded me that he had prepared me for a time like this. He filled my heart with so much loved that I understood how he was building my faith for this very moment. As I went over my writtings and read all those notes that God had spoken to my heart, I was filled with overwhelming joy on how much God loved me.
I trusted God at a time when my heart was broken and he healed my broken heart and bound up my wound. [Psalm 147:3] Family, Friends, and church family were there to support me all arrangements, were made for me to return back to N, Y, burry my daughter. What a joyful, repass, everyone remembered her smile and laughter as she was being celebrated by family and friends. God knew how I would react to her passing and he took care of me by building me up before the breakdown so I could recover through faith in him and not my own understanding. He reminded me of my last conversation with her just a few days before her departure, Rhoda called me and said, I love you Ma and I love God, “I don’t want to be in the darkness anymore, I’m moving toward the light of God”!
She had suffered from mental illness all her life, but I thank God for her salvation and she is at peace with him.
God will always get the glory for he is God and there is none like Him.
This is such a blessed story of hope and healing. God has done such a mighty work in you and is ministering to many through your words. I pray that what you wrote here will touch others going through a dark valley in their life. There is light in God and we can all draw near to Him.
Thank you, so much for reposting my story. God ‘s word never returns void and I thank God for what he has brought me through.
You have been a blessing to me. When reading your post, I pray to God while responding is help me reach someone through my testimony. I want to be a witness for the glory of God!
This was posted as anonymous, but this must be Don! Oh, what a night that was, I did not see it when you were prevented from going in, but what a grand design God has in then placing you to lead a young man to Christ! I was blessed to witness your story that night!