Isn’t it strange how the best-made plans seem to take on a mind of their own? My husband and I often discuss how different our plans have turned out from how we started planning for our lives. I asked him recently, “Did you ever, in your wildest dreams, think that I would be a North Carolina senator?” He jokingly told me that I wasn’t in his wildest dreams. Gotta love that man.
My husband was devastated when he was fired from the job that he thought was made for him. He believed that he would move up that corporate ladder, become CEO and retire with a comfortable pension and live happily ever after. God had other plans.
Over the course of several years, no real job offers came. My husband took a couple of temporary assignments, but it appeared no other company wanted him. Eventually, with our savings dwindling, he started his own company out of desperation. Through the years, God has blessed us beyond measure. My husband now loves to tell this story of how God dragged him, “kicking and screaming,” to the blessings He had planned for his life.
Often, we think we know what we want. While we pray and ask God to bless us and lead us, we are not willing to relinquish our own desires and trust God to do His will for us. His will is always better than anything we could possibly craft on our own. God allows us to venture off course from time to time. Other times, he drags us “kicking and screaming” in order to answer our prayers.
I never dreamed that I would ever serve as a North Carolina senator. It’s not something I ever thought about. I have been involved in politics for many years. I loved working for candidates and lobbying for the issues I cared about. I never considered running for office in all those years. It’s not something I wanted to do.
When I was asked to fill a vacancy, I was very honored. I asked for time to think about it and pray about it. After a few days, I still didn’t feel a desire to do this. I had no fire in my belly and a desire to serve that I thought was necessary. I declined. Within minutes after delivering that message to my county chairman, I had a call from Rep. Virginia Foxx, who has been a friend for many years. She said, “I know you’ve been praying about it, and I know you said ‘no,’ but I’ve been praying about it, and I got a different answer.”
She went on to explain how all the dominoes had fallen into place for me to do something that I would never do on my own. All I had to do was say “yes.” I finally said, “OK, Lord, if this is not what you want for me, Stop me.” As you know, I’m still in the Senate for a little longer. I know now exactly why I’m there. Every day, I see what God has allowed me to do and the changes that I have been able to make. Thank you, God, for leading me where you want me to be. I hope my actions have followed your plan.
I’m reminded that God doesn’t call those who are qualified. He qualifies those who are called. I’m also reminded of those characters which God has used that certainly would not have been considered “qualified.” Moses was a stutterer, and God chose him to lead his people. Mary was too young, and we know how God used her in a beautiful way.
He expects us to step out in faith. He can use anyone who is willing. He didn’t part the sea until the Israelites put their feet in the water. They stepped out in faith.
God knew that this was a challenge for me and way out of my comfort zone. He had to open all the doors and make the path seem impossible for me to refuse. It’s just like Him, though, to move us to do things we could never consider on our own.
He doesn’t make mistakes. That we know for sure. Wherever He leads you, He will never leave you. He loves us enough to even drag us “kicking and screaming to answer prayers.
Thank you, God, for using me in a way that I never dreamed possible.
Sen. Joyce Krawiec has represented Forsyth County and the 31st District in the North Carolina Senate since 2014. She lives in Kernersville.
