Is it Ironic?

       When I first thought about it this morning it seemed ironic, but now I wonder if it wasn't God's plan all long to prepare me for this issue. Earlier this week I wrote a post about how we should not judge others and condemn them, but if we know that what they are doing is wrong and it grieves the Lord that we are supposed to lovingly correct them. Yesterday it was made very clear to me that someone I love needs correcting, and now I am praying for the strength and words from the Father to do that in a loving manner.
        Before the post I wrote earlier this week, I will admit that I probably would have handled this situation poorly. I may have gotten angry (which I did); and blown up on them in my anger (which praise God I didn't) or I would have kept my anger in and let it build distrust, and resentment as I doubted this person more and more. But instead, when the situation occurred I bit my tongue and decided I needed to pray about how I should handle things and talk the situation over with my husband and get his input on the matter.
       At the time the situation happened it was amazing that almost as fast as the anger arose, so did my own words, and the scriptures I had pointed to earlier this week, stopping me in my tracks. This is why at first I thought about how ironic it was that I had wrote about judgment, condemnation, and loving correction and then was faced with a situation where I had to deal with my own fleshly reactions in order to handle things in a more Godly way.  But as I thought about it more I wondered if it was ironic, or God's plan that it happened that way?
        I can't say for sure, but this morning I am more inclined to think that it was God's plan. He knew what was going on and He knew how I would react typically when faced with such a situation. He knows that everyday as much as I try, I still stumble and oftentimes need reminders, or directions to behave consistently as I should. And I am seeing now that by teaching me how He wants me to react in these situations I was prepared to do it when the time came instead of reacting in the flesh. My typical reaction was still there under the surface, but because I now knew better, I was able to remind myself that there was a better way to handle things.

Isaiah 55:8-9        
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Ephesians 2:10         
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Proverbs 19:21        
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.