Plans for Prosperity

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

I have sinned.  There are some uglies lurking in my past that for some time kept me paralyzed.  I would ask God for forgiveness but never could get the guilt to go away enough to forgive myself.  I felt ashamed at what I had done and never thought I could get past it.  I wasted so much time reliving the sin and the shame and I disregarded the work that God was doing in my life.  As I read this scripture I feel it is saying at the moment we repent God will take that sin and those mistakes and begin working them out for good for us.  When we are no longer held captive by our sinful desires, and we are able to hand them over, God is right there, ready to use them for good in our life.  God knows the things we are going to do before we do.  He knows everything about us the decisions we will make, the things we will say, the places we will go.  When He created us He knew the mistakes we would make along the way and with that in mind he could start shaping our life to coincide with all that we would do and say. His timing is perfect because He knows when we will change our hearts.  God knows the moment we will repent for our sin and He can shape our life so that He can work it into good for us.  Yes, there will usually be consequences to our actions but we will never have to dwell on them for too long nor will we have to be punished by them forever because He is working diligently to make good come for us.  He knew the road we would take and started making plans for them way back before we were even tempted to sin.  We are not His puppets.  God allows us to do what we choose but because He is all knowing He can take that into account when planning for our life and future.  

I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.  Then you will call to me.  You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you.

Jeremiah 29:11-12

As long as we are still living in sin and choosing to life a life apart from God we will keep living in misery and destruction.  Our consequences will be dangerous and painful, but the moment we go to Him in honest prayer and repentance He is ready to make a turn for good for us.  He has prepared and knows the precise moment.  His timing is perfect!  You see friends, God knows us!  He wants nothing but good to come from our lives and He has directed our life to fit perfectly with all of the choices, good and bad, that we have made along the way.  He wants to use our mistakes to inspire others and bring Glory to His Name! He has plans for our sin and mistakes, but never will they haunt us or harm us if we are willing to hand them over to an Almighty God who loves us so dang much!