SURPRISE Party

“I know the plans I have for you” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope…”

Yes.. I know what your thinking. “Wow Kayla that’s deep.. Not. I’ve heard it a thousand times.” And in that case, so have I. It seems to be a resounding verse that is extremely powerful when first discovered, but slowly, and sadly, looses it’s impact as it is spoken in every other sermon and altar call. Just recently, however, I have first hand experienced how tangible this verse truly is to each and every life, and how the redundancy of it should not cause it to loose it’s significance.

A few weeks ago I was talking with someone I’ve known for a while, and they said to me this: “You know what is so cool Kayla? I can look back on my life, and everything I was planning for 3 years ago has come to pass.” I looked at this person and laughed hysterically “Nothing I have planned has come to pass.”

Let me begin with a short recap of the past 3 years of my life: Almost everything I ever planned… failed, almost everything I ever had… I lost, and almost every friendship I began with no longer exists. Encouraging right? How is it, then, that I can say with confidence that I am in the most peaceful and content place I’ve been in my entire life? It doesn’t make since, but it’s the truth. How? I gave up. Yes... I gave up on everything I had planned, not for the sake of giving up, but for the sake of allowing God to take over and lead me where He desires me to follow. Does that mean life is perfect? Absolutely not. Does that mean I don’t experience pain and struggles? No. There is a freedom, however in letting go. A freedom of releasing the grasp we have on life, and acknowledging that we trust God with it. Trust.. What is trust exactly? I know that almost all of us do not even know this definition, due to the turmoil of our lives, sequences of unfortunate events, and betrayals. For me personally, God is re-teaching me this definition everyday. At this point, I believe that trust is not simply telling God He is in control and aimlessly waiting for Him to act, but it is abandoning everything we thought we knew and fixing our gaze on Jesus when other things are demanding our attention.

He has plans, right? For a future and a hope? I remember one day recently, when God undoubtedly revealed to me a truth that has forever changed my perspective: He cares more about my dreams and more about my future than I do. Just as we desire certain things for our lives, Jesus is sitting in eager anticipation to pour out the many blessings He desires to give us. He CARES. And not only does He care, He desires the best for us.

The all-knowing, ever present, faithful and loving Jesus cares. So why do we fear? “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” (Psalms 46) So.. I don’t know when last you saw a mountain fall into the sea, but I can say I never have. Picture this: you are driving by the beach one day and you look over and see a massive hill topple over and sink into the water. Not likely. In a spiritual sense, however, I have seen mountains grow legs and do cartwheels into the sea. What do I mean by this? I mean the most unlikely and unexpected of events happening. The kind of things where there is absolutely nothing to do but stand and stare saying “What the HECK just happened.” You can’t call an ambulance. You can’t get a crane and haul the mountain out. All you can do is wait and watch. Nothing more, nothing less. And better yet, God tells us that when such things occur, we should not fear. He still has a plan… for a future and a HOPE.

If you have read this far… congratulations. I would like to end with this thought. I believe that life is a huge surprise party being thrown by God Himself. We live our lives day by day, not expecting much to happen but deep down hoping something does. We have this perspective of how events should occur and what should take place in our lives. Then one day, out of no where, the streamers fall and the cake is brought out. “SURPRISE.” God comes out with what He really had in store and hands it to us. Nothing is as it appears… it’s actually better.