Planning Without God's Guidance

Chuckle: “Age makes you take twice as long to rest and half as long to get tired.

Quote: "Conscience is that faculty in me which attaches itself to the highest I know, and tells me what the highest I know demands that I do." --Oswald Chambers

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money,' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. (James 4:13-14 NIV).

In contrast to the Christi Lane song, "One Day at a Time," we can become so obsessed and preoccupied with the future that we cannot experience and enjoy God's best for us today. "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). James deals with three mistakes we sometimes make which results in the future not being clear and the present not being lived fully. Today, we will deal with the first of these: Planning without God's Guidance.

James describes businessmen talking about how they are going to expand; go to a new place; start a new venture; and the profits they expect to make. Planning ahead is a worthy endeavor, and there's nothing inherently wrong with making a profit. But in our passage, the problem was their failure to consider God's will in their planning. It is dangerous for Christians to make plans without God. We make plans for college, vacations, business ventures, our marriage, our family, etc. Where does the Father's will fit into our planning? James says we are to give God His rightful place in our planning. He wants our plans not be limited by human insight, wisdom, and abilities.

Alexander Saul: Wrote about the Russian revolution in the early 1900's that brought communism. He summed up the destruction of the Soviet Union and Communism by three simple words: "Men Forgot God." These same words could well be written about our nation in the 21st century if something doesn't change. We have forgotten God. How sad it is to see God's people making plans as if God does not exist. We do this often. We go about a life of practical atheism as we make plans for our lives. Where is God in your planning, choices, decisions, dreams, etc. If you include God, your won't make mistakes and you won't be disappointed. I've heard it said: "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans!"

James says we ought to say: "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that" (James 4:15 NIV). Most of us who have lived a while have discovered that our best laid plans often go awry. Murphy's law is working overtime to thwart our very best plans and intentions. We have seen plans and dreams crumble around us and wonder why? Our planning should start with: "Lord, what will you have me to do." "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths (make your paths straight)" (Proverbs 3:6 NIV). "Commit your way unto the Lord, trust also in Him and He will bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5 NIV).

God always has the last word in any of our plans for the future. As Christians, we need to stop asking God to bless what we want to do. Instead we should ask: "Lord what would you have me to do?" He will bless your plans if they are His plans.

Love, Jerry & Dotse