Have you ever held onto a backup plan, keeping it on the sidelines in case things didn’t work out? It feels like a safety net, doesn’t it? But have you ever stopped to wonder if your Plan B is another way of maintaining control — your way of ensuring you still hold the reins, even while saying you trust God?
Over the last few years, I’ve learned what it means to trust God and obey His voice. I’ve always claimed I’d go where the Lord leads, but looking back, I see I hadn’t jumped in with both feet. Sure, I said I was all in, but I kept a rope tied around my waist — a lifeline, ready to pull me back if things got too complicated or uncertain. This month, God made it clear that it was time to untether myself and trust that He has the future all worked out. It wasn’t an easy command to hear, let alone follow, but it came at just the right moment.
The Turning Point
In July, I returned to the UK to take a break from the war in Israel and connect with the local believers for fellowship and rejuvenation. The events of October 7th shattered my world, leaving me emotionally and spiritually drained. Though I didn’t think I had PTSD, fear and panic had taken root inside me. I knew I needed space to breathe, heal, and release the weight I’d been carrying figuratively and literally. When I arrived in my hometown in South Wales, I could finally take off the 8kg+ backpack I’d been hauling around, a tangible reminder of the burdens God was calling me to surrender.
My return flight was booked for October 1st, giving me three months to rest and recharge. But as the date approached, I realized I wasn’t ready to leave. God seemed to agree because the airline suspended my flight, and I had no choice but to stay. However, with each rebooking, another cancellation came until it felt like an unending cycle of frustrating calls to Expedia, only for my flight to be canceled once again.
Letting Go
When my flight was canceled a third time, I called Expedia, ready to go through the motions. I thought I was being smart for holding onto the “free” flight, but as I waited on hold for the millionth time, a friend’s words spoke through the noise. After airing my frustrations, he said, “Maybe Expedia is acting this way because God is trying to tell you something?”
At first, I dismissed his words, telling him to hush while I clung to the security my flight represented. However, deep down, I knew my friend was right. God was calling me to release my backup plan and embrace this season in Wales. By holding onto the flight, I was clinging to the idea that my time here was temporary, that I didn’t need to fully invest in what God was doing in this place. After another long call with Expedia, I finally let go. I asked for a refund, released the safety rope, and surrendered control to God’s perfect plan.
Though my heart remains connected to Israel, I know I’m exactly where the Lord wants me to be. While I don’t know what the future holds or how long He’ll call me to stay in Wales, I’m determined to live in the moment and trust Him for the rest. No more stopwatches or fallback plans. It’s time to say, “I’m here,” and accept this season with open hands.
What About You?
Are you holding onto a Plan B, keeping it as a backup just in case things don’t work out? I want to encourage you to go before the Lord and ask if there’s a rope you need to untie. Sometimes, the security we cling to is a chain holding us back from walking in complete obedience.
Psalm 37 reminds us: “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” (Psalm 37:3-7, 23-24 NIV)
God doesn’t need us to have a Plan B; He has our steps perfectly ordered. When we relinquish control, we will walk in the freedom and peace He offers to all who obey His Word!
Today, I walk untethered, trusting the Lord to guide my steps. Will you do the same? Whatever you’re holding onto, lay it at the foot of the cross and believe that the Lord has your best intentions in mind.
“In their hearts human beings plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
