Failed Service Project?

Some fellow dental students and I have been excited about participating in a health fair for a few weeks now. Today we were going to help out with the Spring Fling health fair for children in Birmingham. We had all of our toothbrushes and brochures, our directions and gas in our cars- we were ready to go. So we drove out to the Fairgrounds and we had a hard time finding the place we were supposed to go. The fairgrounds were under construction, and the only place that said "fairgrounds" was having a flea market. We decided to go ask some people in the office and see if they knew where Gate 12 was. A nice man that worked there helped us call many different places and asked us if we were from "one of those prank shows" - we weren't trying to catch him on candid camera- we were just lost.

When we first got there we tried to call our contact, but her phone was off. We looked up numbers for anyone we thought could help us, but to no avail. We finally decided to go home and I gave the lady one last call. She picked up and told us they were actually at Legion Field! So we drove to Gate 12 at legion field and it was deserted. There was not a single car or person, pretty much the opposite of a children's health fair. So we decided to go home because it looked pretty creepy and unsafe.

I believe God was showing us that our plans are weak compared to His supreme plan. When we make plans, even plans to serve others, it may not be what God had in mind. We may not see the reason why or we may think we have a small glimpse of the reason why, but we cannot fathom all that He has in store for our lives. All we can know and can abide in is the knowledge that He is in control and is doing everything for His purpose- to make His name known to all people.

So when your plans don't go exactly as you had planned, just know that He is in control and has a purpose. We don't have to know why, but instead just go along with what happens and trust Him.

If we look at the situation without knowledge or belief in God, it would seem like a wasted Saturday, but if we look at the situation with a God-centered perspective, we know that it wasn't failed at all, but all went according to Plan.