Trusting in God with our plans is not merely for better luck, it is because He ultimately holds the keys to all our plans. We make plans because the world tells us to. The world has us convinced that our plans and the effort we put into achieving them should be praised and glorified. However, it is when we put our plans above all else that we end up putting them above God. Nothing should be placed above God. When we do this we place praise where it should not be. We forget what is good and start worshipping what simply looks good. Thus, creating an idol of our plans. God wants everything to be great for us. This is why He is constantly probing our lives for more and better. His plans for us are divine. We give ourselves the best chance in life by trusting this and ceasing with our elaborate plan making.
To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.
Proverbs 16:1-2 NIV
Our plans are meant to have God in charge of them. It is only when we surrender our plans to Him that they can come to fruition in their entirety and beyond. We must never forget that God, “made everything with a place and purpose.” What a great thing to remember. We do not have to take on the burden of plans and their outcome. It is our job to obey and His job to see to the outcome. We are able to live with great freedom as we remember God is in control. Freedom is often what we are after in all our planning. Freedom from financial burden. Freedom from the burden of uncertainty. We want to rid our lives of burdens and thus we plan. However, the true way to freedom is to surrender all that we plan to Him and ask Him to lead us.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.
Proverbs 16:3-4 NIV
Considerations for your planner:
- Have you made elaborate plans in your life? Take a moment to invite God into the designs you envision.
- Have you ever considered placing God in charge of your work? Write down what it would look like to you to surrender your work to God.
A Story of Surrendering Plans:
I was certain that I could have control of the plans for my life. As I grew up living in between families and feeling as though I never had a place, I swore that when I was on my own that I would be able to be completely independent. I wanted to feel the responsibility of my own belonging wherever I ended up.
What I learned as I moved into adulthood was how little I did have control over. I continued to make plans and I continued to watch my plans take different routes. I was stubborn and doubled down many times. I had to learn many hard lessons. I certainly never felt much freedom. In fact, oftentimes, I felt beholden to the path I was on. Fear of what could happen always fortified my stubbornness for plan making.
After many years of recommitting to plans I wanted and seeing them fail I knew I needed to take another path. I began to draw closer to God in all I did. I surrendered where I was at in life and so much burden was lifted. Each time life feels heavy now, I know exactly what I need to do. I must surrender. It is in surrendering what I thought was to be that I always find freedom.
- Anonymous
Strengthen the Christian Planner Family by sharing your experiences. We'd love to hear a story about God's work in your life. Use the form linked below to submit your story.
