An Anchor for the Soul
I’ve been reading Plan B by Pete Wilson, pastor of Cross Point Church in Nashville. Why? Because Pete Wilson is a smart guy, and because my life has been nothing but Plan B for the last few years. Plan A was to marry a wonderful woman and raise a family together. When Plan A fell apart, I was left with Plan B, which is being the best single father I can be to my two little girls.
I gotta say, I’m hoping that Plan A will still happen. I’m hoping that I’ll meet someone who can be my wife and companion and love my two girls as much as I love them. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with hoping for a return to Plan A.
What gets me into trouble, however, is hitching my happiness to Plan A’s return. Why? Because that keeps me from finding happiness under Plan B. And, more importantly, because that keeps me from trusting my life, whatever the plan, to God’s hands.
In Chapter 10 of Plan B, Pete Wilson writes:
“We must be willing, if necessary, to abandon the life we’ve planned and dreamed of in order to receive the life that our God has authored for us.”
Abandon Plan A? Abandon the dream of a happy marriage to a loving wife? I’m not sure if I’m up for that. Being single–and a single dad–is no walk in the park. Surely life will be better if I can find that Plan A relationship. Isn’t that what I’m supposed to want for myself and my kids?
Here’s another quote from Chapter 10:
“I think for those of us in the midst of a Plan B, we’ll discover that one of our idols all along has been a picture of the way life should be. Our idol was an expectation or a dream.”
I can’t put my hope in Plan A. As appealing as it is–and as wonderful as it would be if it were to come to pass–it’s not going to make me complete. Only God can do that.
Pete Wilson goes on to share a verse that has quickly become one of my favorites:
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong.” (Hebrews 6:19)
Living Plan B well means putting my hope in God to be my anchor. When I put Plan A in the position that God was meant to occupy, I end up frustrated and disappointed. Like yesterday.
I took the girls to the Nashville Film Festival in Green Hills. The “For the Whole Family” collection of short films screened (for free!) at 10 in the morning. The girls and I loved the shorts, and I was glad to introduce them to the idea of a film festival. What bugged me was all the happy couples I saw at the theater, and at lunch after the films. I kept thinking how unfair it was that I was there on my own. I kept thinking about Plan A, instead of enjoying my time with my kids. Thanks to my brooding over Plan A, I had a short temper with the girls all day long. That didn’t do anyone any good.
Today, I decided I wouldn’t let that happen. That instead of focusing on what wasn’t happening in my life, I would focus on the gifts God has given me–specifically the gift of time with my girls. We had a great day. I introduced them to my new community group over breakfast, we went hiking at Radnor Lake in the afternoon, and we made pizza together this evening. Best of all, I didn’t lose my temper with them all day, in spite of some of Lily’s best efforts to drive me up a wall.
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong.” (Hebrews 6:19)
You’d think an anchor would be easier to hold onto. I needed today to remind me just what a sure and strong anchor He is. Plan A, Plan B, Plan Whatever–it’s all His plan, and I need to trust Him.