"Change Of Plans"

"Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]." Ephesians 5:1 (Amplified Bible)

Have you ever had your plans change? Have you gone to bed with plans of doing certain things and accomplishing certain tasks the next day? When you wake up in the morning, do you already have your plans laid out for the day? Why is it that things don't always go as "planned"? Our plans often get changed or are changed for us.

My plan is to get the newsletter in the mail, but a printer that isn't working properly changes those plans. I plan to go to the nursing home to have a service, but wind up sitting in the hospital emergency room all day with a family member. I plan on spending a quiet day reading the Bible, meditating on God's word and communing with Him and instead the phone rings "off the hook". You know what I mean about plans changing, and they aren't always changed by us.

When they get changed, how do you react? Do you get aggravated, upset, impatient, angry, anxious? Do you take it out on other people? Do you make the one who was the cause of changed plans feel guilty? Does every one know how unhappy you are that you did not get to do what you had intended to do? Let me ask you a question- How would Jesus react? Would He get mad? Would He get upset and impatient? Would His temper show? Would He make others feel bad? Would He have a sour attitude?

We are to be imitators of God- children who copy what they see their Father do. We need to copy His reactions, His attitude, His speech- not only when our plans get changed, but all the time, in every situation, in just the everyday dealings of life. The way we act is a reflection on our Father. It sends to those around us either a good message or bad one of who the Father is and what He is like.

Whatever you encounter today- changed plans, unpleasant situations, unkind people- watch the way you respond to them to see if you are imitating your Heavenly Father.

Have a great day. We are to imitate our Heavenly Father- do what He does, say what He says, handle situations the way He handles them, react the way He would react and have the same attitude He would have.