I am a planner, always have been and probably always will
be. Planning is a good thing, definitely. But it needs to be in moderation;
otherwise it can easily become an idol in your life. That is something that God
has been teaching me over the past year or so, and it is a lesson that I think I’m
going to have to keep learning again and again.
See, planning itself isn’t bad. In fact, planning can save
you a lot of time and trouble when done right. The problem arises when you plan
everything out so much, that you don’t leave room for God, and/or you don’t
allow Him to guide you through the day.
Sarah Young, in her devotional Jesus Calling, writes from the perspective of Jesus talking to you
and me, His dear friends. Many times Young talks about the need to release our
plans so that we can focus on the Lord, and allow HIM to lead us through each
day.
“Come to Me with your plans held in abeyance. Worship Me in
Spirit and in truth, allowing My Glory to permeate your entire being. Trust Me enough to let Me guide you through
this day, accomplishing My purposes in My timing. Subordinate your myriad plans
to My Master Plan. I am sovereign over every aspect of your life!
The challenge continually before you is to trust Me and
search for My way through each day. Do not blindly follow your habitual route,
or you will miss what I have prepared for you. As the heavens are higher than
the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your
thoughts.” –Sarah Young,
Jesus Calling
pg. 145 (Bold mine)
These paragraphs were so convicting to me, because I tend to
go through each day blindly following my normal route. I also definitely fall
into the sin of allowing planning to be an idol in my life. It takes a
deliberate effort to stop and search for the Lord in the midst of a busy day, and
it takes even more effort and prayer to strive to follow Him through each day
wherever He leads. Exodus 20:3 says bluntly that we are to have no other gods
before the One True God, our Father. For me, planning is something that I have
to deliberately think and pray about, frequently, asking God to lead me rather
than trusting in my own plans. I have to again and again affirm my trust in
Him, not because His trustworthiness changes, but because I forget to choose to
trust. He is trustworthy, always. His plan is so much better than mine, in the
long run and in the simple day to day things.
Thankfully, no matter how many times we choose to follow our
own plans for a day, we can always stop and allow God to lead. He is our Loving
Father, and He is always beside us, with us, and He will guide us if we ask.
• “For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our
guide even to the end.” Psalm 48:14
•“Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of
your name lead and guide me.” Psalm 31:3
God doesn’t want you to walk through each day on your own
and in your own strength, but walking WITH Him is a choice. Choose each day to
allow Him to guide you, moment by moment. Make plans, but hold them in
abeyance. Take God’s hand and follow Him through the day, focusing on Him and His
glory. Choose to trust Him, rather than in your own plans.
“Instead of trying to create a mental map of your path
through this day, focus on My loving Presence with you.” –Sarah Young, Jesus Calling pg. 123
