In Sickness and in Health

My plans, as usual, have been derailed for the past couple of weeks, due to the fact that I have pneumonia. Ending the busiest and most academically challenging school year of my life was definitely not part of my master plan at all. But how many times will it take me to realize that the plans I make will forever and always be irrelevant in light of God's plan? Being sick right now does not make much sense to me...with less than two weeks of school left, the timing literally could not be worse.

But I know this: God is bigger than pneumonia, and costochondritis (that's the technical term for when you've been coughing for 5 weeks and the cartilage under your ribs is now inflamed and quite painful), and He's a heck of a lot bigger than my plans. Thankfully, because my plans tend to be a little ridiculous. He is good, all the time, and Him forcing me, literally, to take a break even with the seeming worst timing ever is good.

I laid it down in silence,

This work of mine,

And took what had been sent me --

A resting time.

The Master's voice had called me

To rest apart;

"Apart with Jesus only,"

Echoed my heart.

I took the rest and stillness

From His own hand,

And felt this present illness

Was what He planned.

How often we choose labor,

When He says "Rest" --

Our ways are blind and crooked;

His way is best.

There is a blessed resting

In lying still,

In letting His hand mold us,

Just as He will.

His work must be completed.

His lesson set;

He is the Master Workman;

Do not forget!

We are to be His servants;

We never choose

If this tool or that one

Our hands will use.

In working or in waiting

May we fulfill

Not ours at all, but only

The Master's will!

The above is from Streams in the Desert. May my and your soul, friends, focus on God's good plan for us, whether in a period of sickness or health.