This Praise is Twenty Years in the Making
Reflecting on God's Plans and Purposes in Your Life
The praise I’m offering the Lord today was twenty years in the making.
Last night, I taught my first class of students at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The students were wonderful—engaged, eager, and offering great insights. After the class was over and I was debriefing with Natalie, a profound sense of gratitude for God’s providence and care in my life swelled in my heart. “I’m actually a professor….and….” And then it hit me.
In this live online class covering Biblical Spirituality, I give a weekly lecture and space for discussion, in addition to Dr. Don Whitney’s stellar lectures on the personal spiritual disciplines. One of the textbooks for the course is Dr. Whitney’s, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life.
I remember when I first read his book. It was the green one.
About twenty years ago, as a young college student, I remember talking with a friend who was tired of bumbling through his Christian life. He wanted to grow. He wanted to get serious. I was a little bit further a long than him—a few strides, but not much. But my buddy wanted me to meet with him and help him grow.
Enter Don Whitney’s work.
I remember sitting with my friend and going over chapters in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. It was life-changing. Soul-stirring. I can see my underlinings, highlights, and scrawled notes on the pages. These memories moved me to praise God.
I could never have imagined that college-Jeff, reading Whitney’s work with a friend, would become professor-Jeff, teaching Whitney’s work to seminary students. Seminary-Jeff, sitting in Dr. Whitney’s class, couldn’t have guessed we’d be here.
It’s an undeserved privilege to teach Biblical Spirituality and to echo what Don has taught me over these twenty years. He continues to pour into students through teaching, writing, and doctoral supervision. And in addition to learning from Don’s other books, like Praying the Bible, that have served my soul in indelible ways, he’s also personally blessed me.
Don was also my doctoral advisor. Don is a mentor. Don is now a colleague. And he’s a friend. He signed this for me back in 2013.
College-Jeff had no idea what God had in store.
Present-Jeff has no idea what God has stored up for Future-Jeff.
When I’m 61, Lord willing, I will reflect on being 41 and say, “That poor sap had no idea how good God was going to be to him!”
We are all on the journey of God’s providence.
Today may be confusing, foggy, and even frustrating. I’ve been there. We mull over hundreds, maybe thousands, of branches, timelines, hopes, dreams, and possibilities for our lives. Should we move? What if I take that job? Should I get more education? Is this the church for us to join? The what-ifs and what-abouts come in wave after wave. Here’s where I find rest and peace in the pilgrimage of God’s providence.
Psalm 138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me
It’s a done deal. He makes no promises to fulfill our plans. But his purpose for us will be completed. It’s more sure than a Charles Barkley “Guarantee.”
We should still pray, make plans, and go after what we think the Lord is calling us to do, but remember:
Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
Our lives are in his hands. His purpose for us will go according to plan. College-Medders, going to Bible College, delivering flowers, working at Starbucks, trying to get this girl to go out on a real date with me (we will be married 20 years next year), couldn’t imagine becoming Dr. Medders. That knucklehead couldn’t fathom the blessings in marriage and fatherhood that awaited him.
I’m praising God for his plans and purposes. Take time to do the same.
What can you trace in your life that God has done—something you couldn’t have orchestrated? Praise him.
What outcomes and arrivals can you look at and say, “That’s on God.”
Don’t forget his work in your life. Rejoice. Celebrate. Thank him. And trust him for whatever may be in store.
Some praises may take a decade or two to come together.
This praise I’m offering is more than twenty years in the making. It’s 41. All my life. And it’s even further—this was all prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).
Halleljuah.
Psalm 126:3 The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.