Encounter Christian Campus Ministry Daily Devotions 2020

May 15 by Arch. Daniel Baldueza Quinto

- Planters Horticulture – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

FUTURE PLANS

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Marahil gasgas na sa atin itong verse na ito dahil madalas na nating naririnig. But we don't know how POWERFUL this verse is, until we encounter crisis, hopelessness, and an UNCERTAIN FUTURE. Sometimes we appreciate something when it is lost or gone. I know we all have our future plans! Bawat stage ng buhay natin, nakakagawa tayo sa isip natin sa kung anong magiging future natin. It makes us motivated! Excited tayo to achieve those goals! As student, we are already planning on what graduation gift should we request from our parents, where you will work after graduation, when will you take your board exam, where will you treat your parents in your first salary etc. For young adults, we tend to plan for our future such as to where should we work, locally or overseas; gather our wedding concepts. We begin to plan on building our family, buying a car, a dream house, even travelling to places; and making potential business; and so much more.

As parents already, we plan for the education of our child/children, maybe migrating to other place; we lay down our retirement plan, and etc. All of these FUTURE PLANS are uncertain since we're going to be facing the NEW NORMAL in our lives since this pandemic wreaked havoc in the world, in our country, in our community and in our family. And it is uncertain how long it will take until we see a brighter future for us all. Months? Years? We don't know. Minsan bigla na lang may magbabago sa sitwasyon natin that makes us hopeless. How will we adjust? How can we work out and continue or redirect our original plans? What will be our future? And this is where FAITH comes in. In Hebrews 11:1, it says "FAITH is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." The same true with our future plans! We don't know our future. We cannot see it, but we believe we can achieve it! It takes faith to achieve those future plans. Kapag wala talaga tayong faith, it is impossible to please God and to achieve those goals in life.

Don't be discouraged if our current situation seems not aligning with our original plans. There will always be changes, because God is just aligning your plans into HIS PLANS! Sometimes things are not working the way we envisioned it to be; but maybe, God is showing us that He has a better plan, or perhaps, the best plan. In Proverbs 19:21, it says, "Many are the plans in person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose will prevail!". I'm not saying na huwag na tayong magplano, because at the end, iniisip mo, plano din lang ni Lord ang masusunod. Faith without action is dead. Actually, that is the start of our ACTION, ang gumawa ng future plans, dito kasi nakikita ni Lord kung anong desires ng mga puso natin. He will based His answers on what are we desiring for – of course it should always be based on His will at hindi lang yung sarili nating will. It only takes FAITH to believe that God will prosper you, God will give you hope and a future. May magandang plano si Lord sa buhay mo! Huwag nating hayaang mawala yang magandang plano niya sa atin dahil lang sa nawalan tayo ng PANANAMPALATAYA sa kanya! HAVE FAITH! GOD HOLDS YOUR FUTURE!