Plan A … B … or Plan H – Life is about how you handle the setbacks

I recently read this inscription on a card created by Blue Mountain Arts.  “Life is all about how you handle Plan B”  How many times in a week do we say “Well that didn’t work!” and have to move on to the next idea – Plan B or maybe Plan C or H.  I’m thinking the fact that there are so many versions of a plan is biblical.  Psalm 94:11 “The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile.” So what do you think?
How do we handle things that get in our way of ‘the plan’.  Remember Job?  He was a wealthy man.  He must have had a Plan A, then that didn’t work out so he moved on. Who knows how many letters he passed B, C, D.  Notice his voice in Job 17: 11-12. He was deep in his loss and still he says “My days have passed, my plans are shattered.  Yet the desires of my heart turn night into day; in the face of the darkness light is near.” Do you think Job had a positive attitude?
If you read Psalms you will notice the many laments of David over choices he made – Plan A, Plan B, Plan C … but still he was called a man after God’s own heart.  1Chronicles 29:19-20 is a comforting passage about how David acknowledged God’s leading. ““All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.” David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
How many plans did it take for David to realize the “Lord’s hand”? A lifetime. During a time of battle, David comes through with his prayer for his people in Psalm 20.  Psalm 20:1-5 “May the Lord answer you when you are in distress… May he give you the desire of your heart and allow you to fulfill your purpose. May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.” Do you think David needed to be flexible and refuse to become defeated? In fact, David had to be the leader and the cheerleader.
There are days when attitude is everything.  It makes a difference in how we progress through our day.  Do you ever wonder why the Bible covers so many topics and do you ever wonder how we get so many practical snippets of wisdom from a few passages strung together? I’m going to take a wild guess that part of that answer is found in Romans 15:4-6 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
What do you think?  Could today be your day to find that extra incentive, a slice of encouragement to move on? You might find that sliver of hope in Plan H?  Here’s a beautiful passage I came across this morning.  I comes from my heart, and wraps around yours. Romans 5:5 “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” The verses prior to that talk about suffering and perseverance. Perseverance produces character and character produces hope.
Psalm 25:5 “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”