Meaning in turmoil

Scripture

Proverbs 19:21

You can make many plans,

but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

Pray

Give us soft hearts

Story 1

Brooke dumping me

Application 1

Life doesn’t go as planned

Anyone can follow Jesus when it’s a party, but real maturity is measured by how we handle the difficulty & the changes you didn’t ask for

Tonight I want to talk about what we do when God changes our plans

All through the bible we see stories of God messing up people's plans

We are never promised everything will go perfectly

Actually we are promised the opposite

Story 2

Getting turned down to replace my youth pastor

Supporting Scripture

Romans 8:28-29

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Application 2

God is at work in the hardship

Doesn’t mean God will do what I want

Doesn’t mean we will end with a happy ending here on earth

To fully comprehend what God is saying we need to break this passage down to phrase by phrase and lets filter through what God has done in resolute this year

“We know”

Our hope in hard times isn’t found in positive thinking

Not found in natural optimism

Optimism: betting on unsure things

Hope: “it’s bad, it’s really bad, but i know I can trust in God”

Hope is certainty in the truth

“God causes”

Grand design

Not luck, but a master plan

We make mistakes, but God never does

“Everything”

God’s plan includes all - both good and bad

Anyone can use good for good

God specializes in using bad for good

“To work together”

Not separately

Your whole life used for good

Not isolated acts, but everything in life

Interdependent parts to the process

The process is all used together for one purpose

To make you like Christ

That’s why verse 28 doesnt make sense without verse 29

If you’re going to become like Christ you have to go through everything Jesus went through

That’s God’s number one goal: to make you like Jesus

Not to make you happy or comfortable

If God allowed His own son to go through these things don’t you think He would you also

Cake analogy

All the ingredients seperate are gross, but together great

If we trust all our life to Jesus even the ugly, hurting, gross, evil things He will use them to make us like Jesus

Pray

Help us all during this difficult time