“That Wasn’t the Plan!
Karen and I (re)learned an important lesson this past weekend … no matter what we have planned, life has the uncanny ability to throw our plans out-the-window! We had a good plan; instead, we were blessed with excellent medical care when Karen developed her very first kidney stone! What happened didn’t look anything like our plan.
We all know about other situations when reality did not match up with our plan. Each of us can tell similar stories; life often throws us a curveball. Scripture reminds us of a couple of things about our plans and God’s plan:
‘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. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (James 4.13-17)
And, ‘This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. (Jer 29.10-12)
Is it wrong to have a plan for the day? Is it wrong to develop a plan, work toward that plan, and enjoy the blessings of a good plan? In other Bible passages, God has an expectation that we will be good stewards of His blessings in our lives. But James has a critical point – when my plan is not subject to God’s plan, when I am not open to God’s will in my life (even in the surprises of any given day), then my plan is the result of my arrogance. And my pride and arrogance are sins.
Our God and Father loves us – He sees things that we cannot see. His plan will always be better than my plan, especially when He brings needed change to my life, and more glory to His name.