"I
know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his
steps." - Jeremiah 10:23
In business I hear a lot about planning. Every January I hear workplace
believers establishing their planning for the year. Corporations establish plans
that cover anywhere from one to five years. Individuals establish personal life
plans. There is only one problem that I see with most planning done by
well-meaning believers. If God is not the originator and director of the plan,
then that plan is doomed for failure. So often, Christian workplace believers
set out to plan something that seems good in their own mind. The merits of what
is being planned can look great, and it can even be a worthy endeavor. However,
that is not the point. When Jesus said He came only to do the will of the
Father, He could not consider doing anything that was not what the Father
wanted, no matter how good or righteous it might appear to be.
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps"
(Prov. 16:9). God must give us the vision for what He calls us to do. After we
have the vision, we must ask Him if He wants us to take action on that vision
and what the action steps entail. The Lord wants to direct each step of the
planning process. David learned this lesson when he went to battle against his
enemy, the Philistines. One day he inquired of God as to whether he was to go up
against the Philistines, and the Lord said, "Yes, but only when you hear the
marching in the balsam trees." It is a mistake to reason and analyze in order to
come to a decision on a matter. The Lord already knows the answer. It is our
responsibility to seek Him to find out His mind on the matter. Our planning must
be established in Him. Only when we remain so connected to the source can we be
assured of putting God's plan into place. Also, getting that plan confirmed
through others will assure that we are not following the deceit of our own
heart.
When you begin to plan next time, ask God for His wisdom for establishing the
vision and action steps. You will be surprised how well He can plan.
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