Budzban: Have faith that God has a plan for our lives

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

- Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)

Has there been something you've really believed God to do for you that ended in disappointment? Maybe you asked him to heal a sick relative, deliver a child from a drug addiction, or save your marriage, only to find yourself disappointed when God didn't come through for you- and, worse yet, he did it for someone you know.

We've all had times when God just didn't do what we asked. My mother was a young woman when cancer struck her vibrant body. I remember that panicked feeling when I heard her diagnosis. I felt she was too young to die and, at 28 years old, I was too young to lose her.

I prayed with all my heart that God would leave her here on earth with me a little longer, but he didn't. In the midst of my grief and confusion, I had to trust God's plan was being fulfilled, even though I couldn't understand how that could be possible. To this day, I still encounter situations in my life where I don't always understand what God is up to.

All of us experience circumstances in our lives that God allows to happen and are beyond our human reasoning and understanding. We know that God could change them if he wanted to, but he just doesn't do it. That's where trust comes in.

Trust is the foundation of our relationship with God. Even when bad things happen, we need to trust that God still has some good things planned for us. Oftentimes, people get bitter when things don't go as desired. Sometimes it's hard to fight that feeling of bitterness.

God desires we give that bitterness to him so he can help us grow to become better. He desires us to grow in trust in his sovereign plan, even when we can't make senses out of it.

Sometime, he uses those circumstances as a test of our faith. Will we still place our trust in him even when things don't go our way?

Whatever is going on in our lives that we can't understand, we need to lean on God and keep our faith that God is working in our lives and will bring about good results if we just keep trusting him.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at Annetteeudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413. Invite her to speak to your church or community group.