When God Redirects Your Plans: Say “Yes” Anyway

I had a plan. A good one.

And then, seemingly overnight, God changed it.

Maybe you’ve been there too — standing in the wreckage of a dream you thought was from Him, asking, “Lord, what are You doing?”

And sometimes, your simple yes to God is like a pebble dropped into the water — creating ripples of faith that touch hearts far beyond your view.

This Sunday, our pastor reminded us of something that reached straight into my heart: Even when life doesn’t unfold the way we anticipated, God is still weaving every detail for His glory and our good.

In Acts 16, Paul had his travel itinerary all mapped out. He was headed east until God said no. Closed doors met him at every turn.

Then, in a nighttime vision, Paul saw a man pleading, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

That divine redirection led him to Philippi, where there was no synagogue, no large crowd of people — just a few women gathered by a river to pray. Among them was Lydia, a businesswoman whose open heart would change history.

“The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.”— Acts 16:14

Lydia’s “yes” didn’t happen in a grand setting. It wasn’t planned, polished, or posted. It was quiet — the kind of yes that happens when you simply open your heart to God’s new direction.

And her "yes" became the beginning of the very first Christian church in Europe.

It makes me wonder …How many ripples of God’s work begin with one small, unseen yes?

Sometimes God closes doors not to punish us but to reposition us. Sometimes He reroutes us to reveal where His Spirit is already moving.

I can think of seasons in my life when I wrestled with God’s redirection. At the time, it felt confusing and even painful. But looking back, I can see how every closed door was really His way of moving me toward something better — deeper faith, unexpected provision, a heart more aligned with His will, and a peace that only comes when I finally stop striving to control the outcome.

Friend, maybe that’s where you are today.

You had plans that fell apart.

A vision that never materialized.

A prayer that is still unanswered.

But could it be that God is leading you to your own riverbank moment? A place where His quiet presence is waiting — not for your perfection, but for your yes?

The gospel is still changing lives, one open heart at a time. And sometimes, your simple yes to God is like a pebble dropped into the water — creating ripples of faith that touch hearts far beyond your view.

““And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” — Romans 8:28 (NIV)

So here’s my encouragement today: Don’t despise divine detours. Don’t resist redirection. The road you didn’t plan to travel on may lead straight to someone God’s been preparing all along — maybe even to the version of you He’s been shaping all along.

Say yes, even when you don't fully understand. He’s already at work on the other side of your obedience.

🌸 Let’s Reflect

• What door in your life recently closed, and could it be God’s way of redirecting you?

• Where might He be inviting you to say “yes,” even if you don’t yet understand the why?
  

💌 Prayer

“Lord, when You change my plans, help me not to cling to my own agenda. Give me a heart like Lydia — open, willing, and quick to say yes. Use my obedience to ripple outward in ways only You can. Amen.”