Foiled!
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing (foils the plans – NIV); He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. – Psalm 33:10 NKJV.
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, just as we hope in You. – Psalm 33:18-22 NKJV.
At Gustavus Adophus College in Minnesota, the students of Professor Scott Bur’s research group have a yearly tradition. Whenever the professor goes on vacation the mice, I mean, students will play. When the professor returns, he always finds that they have left him…something, in his office. Last year the theme was pink, as in, the office was decorated for a fairy princess with pink everywhere – pink fabric, pink bows, pink on everything. This year the professor was foiled, aluminum foiled. Ten rolls, each containing 200 feet of aluminum foil was used to cover everything in a shiny metallic gleaming surface. Everything from the computer down to the ink pen was covered in foil. Professor Bur has been foiled! How long it will take to unfoil everything is not known, but maybe his students will help him out.
We know that aluminum foil is a thin metallic sheet. There is, however, another kind of foil and dictionary dot com defines it in this way: “to prevent the success of; frustrate; balk” or to “keep (a person) from succeeding in an enterprise, plan, etc.” Whether it is the plan of a nation or of an individual, God is aware of those plans, and He can either bless them or he can foil them.
When God foils the plan of a nation like He did Nazi Germany, which was under the demonic leadership of Adolf Hitler during WWII, it may feel as though all has been covered with aluminum foil. God will hinder, He will slow, and at times He will intervene directly if needed to bring to halt those plans that are opposed to His will. Eventually, all of Germany came to a grinding halt along with all the evil plans of Hitler.
In a similar way to God’s opposition to the plans of some nations, God also opposes the plans of some individuals. When God is in opposition to your personal plans, it may feel like you are all wrapped up in aluminum foil, and you can hardly make any progress. When God is foiling your plans, every move will become the wrong one bringing more problems and pain.
Contrast the foiling of plans by God with His blessings. David says, “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” David says, “He is our help and our shield.” What a difference! It is the difference between fighting against God Himself, and being protected, and helped by God instead.
If your plans are continually being foiled it may be that your hope has been misplaced. Instead of putting all of your faith in your plans, in your ideas, your money, your possessions – hope in His mercy. “Fear” God by reverently looking to Him for direction, for each step you take in this life. Then, instead of being foiled; it is much more likely that you will be, blessed!
(Whether it is the plan of a nation or of an individual, God is aware of those plans, and He can either bless them or He can foil them.)