Thursday, June 6, 2013

Planning or Following?

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

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