In the Discretion of God
Last night, I was speaking with my sister about a priest who had planned to retire at the age of seventy-five. He had given years of faithful service and, by all expectations, was ready to step away from ministry. Yet, because he served at the discretion of his bishop, his plans changed. Instead of retiring, he was assigned to pastor a startup church—beginning again when he thought he was finished.
That conversation stayed with me.
This morning, I woke up with a deeper realization: we all serve at the discretion of God. Not at our own timing, not according to our own carefully arranged plans, but according to His will. And if we are honest, that truth is both humbling and unsettling.
Scripture reminds us of this reality in powerful ways. When Judas left the Last Supper, it is written that the devil had already entered him as he went out to betray the Lord. Even in that moment—dark, painful, and seemingly out of control—God’s greater purpose was unfolding. Nothing was outside His authority.
This truth became even more personal this week.
My sister had planned to retire after thirty-six years of banking. It was meant to be a joyful milestone. After decades of working alongside the same people, there were surely plans for celebration, reflection, and closure. But life had other plans.
Her husband suffered a heart attack.
Instead of enjoying her final days at work, she spent her next-to-last day driving to Oklahoma City and sitting in a hospital room through the night. He received a stent, and by April 2nd, they returned home to Atoka, Oklahoma. What was supposed to be a week of celebration became a week of crisis, care, and uncertainty.
And yet, in that disruption, there was a greater truth revealed: no matter how much we plan, God is in charge.
We map out our lives with timelines and expectations. We anticipate milestones and transitions. But in a moment, everything can shift. Not because God has lost control—but because He never relinquished it in the first place.
Even Jesus Christ Himself lived in complete submission to the Father’s will. He did not act independently of God’s purpose. He walked a path that led through suffering—His Passion, His crucifixion, and ultimately His resurrection. From a human perspective, it may have looked like tragedy or defeat. But in God’s plan, it was redemption.
If Jesus, the Son, lived and served according to the Father’s will, how much more must we?
We may not always understand why our plans are interrupted. We may not see the purpose behind sudden changes or painful circumstances. But we can trust that nothing is wasted in God’s hands.
The priest who thought he was retiring found himself beginning anew. My sister who expected celebration found herself in a hospital. And in both stories, there is a common thread: God’s authority overrides our expectations.
We do not serve at our own discretion.
We serve at His.
And in that truth, there is both surrender—and peace.
Rick Herring
thmjmj@gmail.com