For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares 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 NASB

In 2014 I went through what I think was one of the hardest moments of my life. The relationship with my then fiancé whom I loved dearly, ended. And I’m not talking about your “average” break up. I’m talking bullets, police and jail time.

We had been through many ups and downs over the years we dated (I’ll save those stories for another time), but in my heart I felt peaceful, and confident about where we were headed. However, about a month before the wedding, I had this nagging feeling something was going to go wrong. Maybe I’m just nervous, I thought to myself, but no— this was different. The Holy Spirit was pressing something heavy on my heart.

After much prayer and fasting, I knew I had to postpone the wedding. I made the hard decision of telling my fiancé I didn’t think we were quite ready. We needed a little more counseling to work through some issues and then we could move forward. Although he was hurt, which I had expected, we decided to try to work through our problems. Our communication was minimal, but I felt okay. In my mind, I said, Alright Lord, cool, we’ll get some more counseling and then be on our way.

Or so I thought.

A week later I got the call.

He had been shot.

I had a strong sense that something was wrong. Yet, never in a million years did I think it would end like this. My thoughts on how the next steps in this process were going to look were totally different from God’s. His way was definitely different from mine.

Then it dawned on me, what if the very thing I feared the most (the relationship not working out), was actually the very thing God wanted to use to display His glory in my life? Through this heartache, I felt His protection and peace. I experienced His Word ministering to the deepest places of my broken heart and in a way, I’d never felt before.

Think about it:

WHAT IF that relationship didn’t go as planned because He has someone for you who is way better than what you could ask or think?

WHAT IF you’re still in that position because there is someone at work who needs to see the love of Christ through you?

WHAT IF your business hasn’t moved the way you planned it, because He needs to infuse your heart with a double dose of humility so you can handle the great things He has planned for you on the horizon?

I’d be crazy to say I knew what God was up to in your life. But I do know God’s promises never return void. Just remember, His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. So, the next time your circumstances take you by surprise, simply ask yourself, “What If?”

P.S. My ex is still alive and he survived the shooting. And God brought me the man of dreams a few years later.

Have you surrendered your plans to God? He is more than able to handle every detail of your life.

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are full of mercy, and You care for every intricacy of my life. I surrender my plans to You, and trust You to make my desires Yours so You can bring about the best plan, and one that is so good I cannot yet fathom the size or scope of it yet.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Adapted from Pages From My Heart: A Devotional for Women, by Lekeisha (Ford) Maldon: Used with permission

Copyright 2021: What If: Lekeisha Maldon: All Rights Reserved