How to Follow God When His Plan Seems Strange

God’s leading is often strange. That’s because He doesn’t share the plan. He keeps it a secret. We want God’s plan so we can trust the plan. God hides the plan so we will trust Him.

(Photo by Tom Butler, courtesy of oomf.com)

Genesis began with God blessing all He created. But the fall of man, Abel’s murder, the rebellion at Babel, and the global flood gave cause to doubt that there would be any recovery of that blessing. Genesis 3–11 sketches more than 4,000 years of suffering that people experienced under the curse of sin.

But God’s plan chose one man through whom He would resurrect His blessing for all mankind.

Your life may seem in chaos as well. But God has a good plan He is hiding.

A One-Man Plan

God’s plan included telling one man, Abram, to leave his family, friends and everything else familiar.

[Go] to the land which I will show you. . . . And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. —Gen. 12:1, 3

God’s plan and promise ultimately found its fulfillment in Abram’s descendant, the one man Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:1).

In choosing Abram, God demonstrated grace. And in choosing to follow, Abram demonstrated faith.

• Abram left Ur, a city with tremendous advantages.
• The move represented an incredible act of faith for Abram—especially for someone with no material needs.
• He forsook everything familiar to him to follow God into the unknown.
• And after he arrived in Canaan, he dwelt in a tent and struggled through famines in a barren land.

It staggers the mind that the hope of the world would come from God’s plan and promise to an elderly idol worshiper who, along with his wife, was well past childbearing years.

How to Follow When God’s Plan is Strange

It took faith for Abram to follow God—not just at the beginning, but every day.

It’s the same for us.

(Photo by Tom Butler, courtesy of oomf.com)

• God doesn’t always lead by promotion.
• Neither does He seek our approval before He tells us to move on.
• Sometimes in God’s plan, the way up is down.

In His grace, God chose Abram, who then responded in faith—and followed the Lord.

God’s plan and leading is often strange, but it is always right. Our response?

To follow in faith.

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