When Plans Go Awry

“The best laid schemes o’ Mice and Men gang aft agley.”
—Robert Burns, To a Mouse

Life doesn’t always follow the script we’ve written. We plan, we prepare, we even pray—and still, our neatly laid-out steps can unravel in an instant. Scottish poet Robert Burns captured that reality when he penned that famous line after unintentionally destroying a mouse’s nest with his plow. He saw in that tiny creature’s misfortune a mirror of our own human experience. Even the best intentions, the wisest strategies, the most careful arrangements—“gang aft agley”—they often go wrong.

But Scripture gives us a deeper truth:“The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”
Proverbs 16:9

Planning isn’t wrong—in fact, it’s wise. The Apostle Paul certainly had plans. When he set his sights on Rome, he envisioned it as a launching point for future ministry. He even wrote to the believers there, sharing his hope to be sent onward to Spain. He expected freedom. He expected fruitfulness.

But God had a different route in mind.

A violent storm, a shipwreck, and a venomous viper were not part of Paul’s blueprint—but they were part of God’s. And through it all, the Lord used those very trials to open hearts, perform miracles, and bring many to faith. Paul’s detour wasn’t a mistake—it was divine redirection.

What about you? What plan in your life has taken a turn you didn’t expect? Perhaps you feel like the ground beneath your plans has been upturned—like that little mouse’s nest. But take heart. The Shepherd is still leading. His detours are never wasted. His redirections always carry purpose.

If you find yourself in a season of confusion or disappointment, do what Paul did: pray until you hear from God. Trust Him enough to lay down your plans and pick up His. Align your heart, not just your calendar, with His will.

He knows the way. He sees the end from the beginning. And He is always good.

With Gratitude, Pastor Jesse