God of Strategy

God has this elaborate blueprint of your life showing all the highs and lows, successes and failures, good and bad decisions. His master plan shows all the dependencies and interdependencies in our life, the narrow tributaries and the raging rivers that take us for some rough rides. Mixed in nicely with every predestined moment of our lives is this overarching plan for our good. It took some time as a Christian to understand and then believe that God actually, truly and decidedly wants us to be good, do good and experience good.

Despite the geopolitical tensions or unrest that may be right at your doorstep or inside your home, it is still a fact that God is at this moment, intentionally working out that which is good, just for you. If we could stretch our minds and, more importantly, our faith in Jesus, to believe that our good is His glory, then we have stepped into a revelation and realm of truth that many struggle to accept.

Let’s get some basics out of the way to transition sceptics. Firstly, you must know what you gained by believing in Jesus Christ. You gained righteousness - right-standing-ness - belonging and eternal security in Christ. Belief in the Gospel gives you irreversible benefits of salvation and oneness with God through Jesus. Sin and its stain are permanently removed, and guilt and condemnation are washed away. Now that you know who you are (or will become) in Christ, the second thing to understand is that everything you will ever need or want is tied to what Christ did. His sacrifice of death, and through God’s power, His resurrection and ascension have sealed for all eternity your right standing with God. This standing is irreversible! Forget about all the work you think you need to do to gain God’s favour or to move His hand. We simply don’t have the power or ability, and you are encouraged to accept that the fullness of all you’ll ever need and will receive was tied to Jesus having you, your sin and your restoration (for all eternity)  in mind when He hung on the cross.

So, Strategy! Usually long, elaborate, incomprehensible to our human understanding, but completely perfect! This 'good' that I mentioned, He wants to shower upon us sometimes feels like a maze of confusion and failures, if we don’t understand the impact and importance of divinely given strategy.

Truth Nugget: God doesn’t need a reason to be good to you; you don’t need to deserve or understand it. He does it because He is God. His goodness is on repeat every single day.

I’ve come to appreciate that not every good thing that happens in our life has a deep reason or some long-term link to purpose. I’ve seen that the character of God lavishes His goodness on whomever He wishes, but for those of us who are His called, it’s the “He makes me to lie down in green pastures” kind of goodness, and the “He prepares a table before me” type of abundance.

God gives us the strategy to tread the path to His goodness. When I say strategy, I mean the process that gets us to that good in a way we couldn’t conceive on our own. Sometimes the process is like a treasure hunt; one clue at a time, one insight at a time, and one step at a time. Strategy is the type of divine insider information we receive when we know what we desire but have no idea how to obtain it. God takes us by the Hand and says, ‘Okay, go in this/that direction’! Bit by bit, He reveals the strategy through limitless avenues, including dreams, visions, confirmations, scripture, or seemingly random encounters.

Although the terrain is often rough, winding, and long, I smile (eventually) when I see God’s plan come together so much better (though hardly ever faster) than mine. I’m often in awe of the elaborate design of His will, just like His paintings of an orange sunset on an evening sky canvas. There is no limit to His wonders.

You have a plan, and God has the strategy. His strategy shows you how to move with precision and surefootedness. You can try things your way and with human strength, but it won’t have that incomparable, glory-given design. The ‘How’ is a heavenly designation, as you focus on the ‘what’ He is directing you to do or say. It means staying close to His Heart and trusting Him more than you trust your understanding. It means surrendering the outcome but, most importantly, the timing, to Him.

Truth nugget: Since strategy is a process, the desired outcome will not be an instantaneous miracle. It is a process of time, patience, reliance on God, jerky movements, highs, lows, perseverance and divine positioning to receive so much more than you could on your own.

Love Ya!

Krystal Baynes-Hoseinee