*Today’s devotional is written by Luke Heaton, UNPACKIN’ it’s Social Media Director and Podcast Co-Host

In 2019, linebacker Jaylon Smith signed a five-year, $64 million extension with the Dallas Cowboys that included $35.5 million in guaranteed money. Now, Smith is on a one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers after Dallas released him this week.

Drafted by the Cowboys in 2016, Jaylon Smith started every game he played in (from 2018-2020) and was named to the Pro Bowl after the 2019 season.

However, this season, Smith hasn’t started a game for the Cowboys and has been playing behind others in his position, including Leighton Vander Esch and rookie, Micah Parsons.

What happened?

Discussing the decision to release Smith, Cowboys’ head coach Mike McCarthy said, “Obviously he had a great career here. Obviously has very strong ties to the organization and obviously the Dallas community.”

McArthy went on to say, “Really this wasn’t an easy decision. He’s a good football player. He’s played excellent football here for a long time, but we have a [defensive] system, I think it’s clear now after four games how we’re playing.”

From the Cowboys’ perspective, this is a football move with financial implications, but from Smith’s perspective, this is nothing like he had planned. Following his contract extension just two years ago, Smith had good reason to believe he’d be in Dallas longer than he’s now going to be.

So, why unpack this? What does this have to do with us? Jaylon Smith’s situation reminds us of how our plans in life don’t always work out, even if they’re plans built on a good foundation.

Smith wasn’t cut because of something like off-the-field concerns. His contract extension provided a good reason to believe in a longer stay in Dallas.

In the same way, we may have plans in life that don’t work out how we think they will, but our sin isn’t the direct cause. Sometimes even expectations built on good desires and intentions to please God don’t work out how we imagine.

As followers of Jesus, how do we walk with God in these circumstances? It’s important to recognize that even in our plans that seek to please God, our knowledge still falls well short of Him in His perfect wisdom and complete sovereignty.

Paul, having in mind God’s great plan of salvation through history, described this huge gap between our knowledge and the knowledge of God:

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?’ For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen” (Romans 11:33-36; NIV).

When our plans don’t work out, even if they had pure intentions to please God, we don’t have to be discouraged. We can submit to God in humility knowing that He’s the only one who can actually make a plan and see it come to pass.

This turns our discouragement into confidence because through faith in Jesus Christ, we can have a relationship with the only One with perfect knowledge.

Today, let’s remember that when our plans fail or turn out differently, we are still in a relationship with the One whose plans never fail…and can be at peace in knowing we’re ultimately part of His plans.

I’m Luke Heaton and you can UNPACK that!

Prayer: God, I praise You for Your perfect knowledge and wisdom. Help me to trust Your plans and not sit in discouragement when my plans fail. What You plan always comes to pass. Help me to trust Your plans rather than mine. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Discussion Questions for PACKS:

1. What plan have you had good intentions for and a desire to please, but it still didn’t work out as you expected?

2. What plan have you seen God work out in a way you didn’t expect?