Making Any Plans?
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15 CSB
My week didn’t go according to plan. A couple of significant items completely changed due to no fault of my own. My plans were good, ministry-oriented things, but they didn’t work out how I thought they would.
Life is like that sometimes—actually, quite often! We make our plans, but then things happen. The kids get sick, the weather doesn’t cooperate, or someone cancels on us, and we find our carefully laid plans in shambles.
Planning is good. In fact, the Bible tells us that there is wisdom in planning (Luke 14:28-32). But the Bible also tells us to commit our plans to the Lord (Proverbs 16:3). Presumptuous planning should not be in the believer’s practice (Proverbs 27:1). The Bible even goes so far as to tell us to go ahead and admit that our plans may or may not come about. James put it this way, “Ye should say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'"
Make plans, but hold them loosely. Hand them to God and allow Him to have the final say. Move from presumptuous planning to prayerful planning. Write it on your calendar - “Nevertheless, not my will, but Thy will be done.”
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving me the mental capacity to make detailed, intricate plans. My ability to do so reflects Your ability and creativity, as I am made in Your image. I want my plans to match Yours. I want to steward my time wisely, recognizing that it belongs to You. I am yours, and I am ready to do whatever You want me to do. Please guide me to accomplish Your will. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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