Do you ever get déjà-vu?
Sometimes I’ll get it in the sense of “Hmmm. . . this feels weird. This seems familiar.” And it might be something someone says or does; maybe it’s a smell. But all of a sudden my senses feel like they’re standing on end and I can’t help but kind of raise my eyebrows and usually say out loud “Weird, I feel like I’ve seen this before.”
That’s the conservative kind. The kind that articles suggest are just our brain, mixing up the memory messages and thinking you’ve seen or been somewhere before–but it’s really just a brain blip.
But then there’s another kind déjà-vu that I’ve had in the past where you dream something; usually a conversation, or progression of events, and then it actually comes to pass. And in that moment you’re overwhelmed with not just a “hmm, this weird.” it’s a much louder “Whoa, if I had only knew that I already knew.”
Call it whatever you want, it happens sometimes and you just have to take it for it is.
When those moments happen though I’m jolted back to this laurel of thought that, God knew this was going to happen. This was part of the plan. God knew that today you would still be working at the same office. God knew that you would make that new friend this weekend. God knew that you would be taking a trip this month. God knew that you were going to make a financial gain soon. God knows.
Do I think that God knew I was going to have tacos for lunch?
I’m not going that far.
But I know that God has a plan for my life and in a moment where I feel like I have pre-experienced a moment–I know that moment was already planned for me.
For God’s own timing to work, it’s going to be going along God’s own plan.
In the past few days I’ve had a handful of moments where I felt like unexpected situations were happening that were messing up the plan. Things were going a little awry.
But then a split second of déjà-vu and I realize: God’s in this moment. God saw this coming. Of course it’s not in my control; it’s in His control. And you know what?
God knows when it’s going to be resolved, too.
I haven’t been writing for the last month about my plan. Why am I acting like God is probably surprised right now too?
God knew. Makes me want to say, duh.
Oye, you might think I’m going down a predestination tangent–but hang in there with me.
Our God is all knowing.
I believe you have pivotal moments that can be path changing. I believe you have opportunities to re-calibrate and adjust if you get off track. I believe that God has an original will for what He hoped for us the day that we were born.
And because of that, I believe He knows.
Psalm 147:5 says:
“Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.”
Sometimes if you get so entrenched in a moment that you didn’t see coming, you can forget and ask how the heck it came to pass. You can feel like things are off track. You can feel like this must have taken God by as much surprise as it did you. But if you take a minute to step back and remember that not only is God in that very moment, He’s already anticipating the ones to come tomorrow and next week–you don’t have to carry that need to control it. You don’t have to carry that desire to fix it or change it. Especially if it’s really outside of your power anyway.
You can feel helpless.
Or you can stop in that second and thank God for being in control.
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve said that in the past week. “Thank you, Jesus for being in control of my life.”
Dang, I can’t do it. I’m about to lose my mind for trying if I kept carrying that burden.
God has a plan over your life and even when you feel like you have hit a bump, found a snag or have had your world flipped around–it’s OK. Trust Him. Maybe this is a test to see your dedication to the desires in your heart. Maybe this is to bring you closer to Him. Where is your trust at? Were you paying attention? All those things you’ve said while things were going smoothly about trusting and following–did you mean them?
Because at the end of the day anything you’re working towards: a new city, that other job, the family, the raise, the new business, the important client or the big trip—that might be part of God’s plan—but you know what, to be happy in the plan you first have to be happy in God. And I can promise you that you’ll get there a lot faster if you join me in the learning that when times feel tough; drop the stress and say “Thank you, God for being in control.”
Déjà-vu or not. Real or not. In the plan or not. God knows. Give it time, child—and in the meantime, lift it up and be so thankful that you have such an awesome God behind the scenes working things out on your behalf.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
actually on the line 