Making Room For A Better Way

I am a creature of habit, especially when it comes to loading the dishwasher. I take pride in doing it efficiently, making use of every nook and cranny. For me, it’s like solving a puzzle. Plates, cups, utensils—they all have their designated place. I’ve got a system, and I stick to it. So much so that I don’t easily welcome help with the dishes.

My way worked perfectly until we got a new dishwasher. Its layout was completely different from the one we had before, and suddenly, I found myself struggling to figure out the best way to load it.

Eventually, I thought I had developed a new system—until a friend came over and started loading the dishes in her own way. Every fiber of my being resisted it. Her method was not how I did things. But instead of immediately reloading it my way (which I was tempted to do), I decided to give her method a try. To my surprise, it worked better. The plates fit more easily, and the flow made more sense.

At first, the new way felt awkward. I had grown so comfortable with my approach that nothing else seemed better. But the more I practiced this new arrangement, the more natural it became.

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A Deeper Lesson

This small moment got me thinking about the patterns and habits in all areas of life—spirit, soul, and body. Sometimes we keep doing things a certain way just because they’ve always “worked.” We become creatures of habit, choosing the path of least resistance. I know I often resist change, believing that nothing could be better than the success I’ve already experienced.

But what if a new way is better—and we’re missing out?

Our relationship with the Lord is no different. He often invites us out of our comfort zones, asking us to do something that seems impossible or unfamiliar. Lately, I’ve felt like God keeps giving me real-life reminders that His ways are not only different—they’re better.

It’s a gentle reminder to walk through life with open hands. We may think we’ve got it all figured out, but when we hold too tightly to our ways, we may be missing the greater blessings God wants to give us. His path may not be easy, but it’s where we’ll find Him—guiding, strengthening, and restoring us.

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The Israelites: A Lesson in Resistance

The Israelites are a powerful example of this. Time and time again, they chose their own way instead of following God’s. In the book of Jeremiah, we see how their disobedience led them into exile in Babylon for 70 years, leaving Jerusalem in ruins and their future seemingly hopeless. Yet even in their rebellion, God had a plan.

“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 (NIV)

They had been warned. God had shown them the better way—a way that would bring blessing, not destruction. But their stubbornness got in the way. Even when we don’t experience His better plan because of our disobedience, God’s plan is never thwarted. He promised to bring them back, to restore their land, and to rebuild what had been lost. He encouraged them to seek Him with all their hearts—and in doing so, they would find Him.

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Mary: An Example of Trust

A better example of following and trusting God’s plan is Mary. She was engaged to Joseph, preparing for a normal life, when everything changed. An angel appeared and told her she would bear the Son of God—though she was a virgin. She knew the risks: shame, rejection, even death. Still, Mary responded:

“May it be to me as you have said.”
— Luke 1:38 (NIV)

Because she surrendered her plans to God’s, we have been given the gift of salvation through Jesus. Her open hands and obedience provided a better way for all to come.

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What If God’s Way Is Better?

What might our lives look like if we were more open to God’s plans—if we trusted Him even when our way seemed to be working just fine? What if His way was not only better for us, but also for those around us?

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When the Plan Takes Time

Sometimes God has revealed His plan, but it hasn’t come to fruition yet. Think of Abraham and Sarah. God promised them a child, but it took over 25 years for that promise to be fulfilled. In their impatience, they tried to make the promise happen their own way—but God’s timing was perfect.

God also promised the Israelites the coming of the Messiah. Through the many years, they waited a long time for God’s better plan to come to fruition.

We can carry this same expectation the Israelites once held as we wait. They lived in hope, waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Messiah. Though they didn’t see Him in their own timing, the promise was fulfilled in God’s perfect time through the birth of Jesus. Just as they waited in faith, we too can trust in His plans—even when we can’t yet see the outcome.

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Final Thoughts

Whether it’s a dishwasher, changing a habit, or a divine detour, may we hold onto our plans loosely. Let’s be open to God’s nudges, even when they feel uncomfortable. Because sometimes, in releasing control, we open ourselves to something greater—something only God can provide us.

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📌 Reflect & Respond

Ask yourself:

• Where am I clinging to my own way?
• What might God be inviting me to do differently?
• What could I gain by opening my hands to His plans?

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📖 Scripture Reminders

Here are just a few scriptures that remind us we can trust God’s better way:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
— Isaiah 55:8–9 (NIV)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
— Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.”
— Psalm 37:23 (NIV)

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
— Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him.”
— 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)