I am a planner. I think we, as women, are just a planning kind of people. And, if I’m honest, I don’t handle changes well. I’m not really a go-with-the-flow kind of girl, if you know what I mean. Any slight deviation to the right or to the left and I’m in a tizzy of worry and anxiety.

All that being said, I have a whole new appreciation for Mary. Think about it, y’all. The girl was planning a wedding.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. – Luke 1:26-27

She was all caught up in guest lists and food choices and making sure that crazy Aunt Bertha didn’t sit too close to the wine table. She was all starry-eyed and love struck. She was writing “Mary loves Joseph” in the dirt with a stick.

Then, Gabriel showed up.

Now, some plan alterations are acceptable. Maybe someone checked chicken on the RSVP card and they meant to choose fish. Okay, we can handle that. Or they didn’t RSVP at all {how aggravating is that?} and now we need to add a couple folding chairs to the reception hall. These things are to be expected. Oh, but Gabriel was about to make some major changes to this bride-to-be’s plans.

You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. – Luke 1:31

I’m sorry. What?

I would love to think that I would be all cool and let’s do this thing. But, seriously, I get upset if the shirt I wanted to wear is in the dirty clothes. I’m certain that Mary is going to go Bridezilla on ol’ Gabe, right?

And Mary said, “Behold, I am a servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” – Luke 1:38

Yeah, that’s what I meant to say. 

We have all had times when we were planning one thing and it just didn’t work out.

We thought we would be married by now but our Facebook status still reads single.

Or, maybe, we thought we would still be married right now.

We thought we would have a flourishing career and, instead, we are eeking out a minimum wage existence.

We thought we would be doing something else.

Be somewhere else.

Be someone else.

Be with someone else.

But God had other plans.

The mistake we often make is we want to compare the two plans – God’s and ours. We want to look at them side by side and weigh the pros and cons. Sometimes, however, the best thing to do is to let it be. {Does anyone else have the Beatles’ Let it Be stuck in their head now? You’re welcome.}

The next time God steps in and changes your carefully made plans – let it be.