Planning for 2012

The holy spirit is our wise counselor who sharpens and encourages us on our Christian walk. In preparation for the new year, I am reflecting through old journals and praising God for my relationship with Him. This past year, though intimacy with Christ, we have won many sweet victories and fought painful battles. We have increased my Trust in HIS plans and grown me into a daughter of faith. In preparing for another year with the Lord, James 4:13-16 spoke to me.

"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"

The world teaches us to plan. We plan our weddings from childhood with Barbi and Ken, plan for retirement through 401k's, and as athletes, we plan our lives around particular competitions and workouts. Planning can be good and bad. James tells us that making plans outside of God's will is useless since we do not even know we will be here tomorrow. Planning outside of God's will can be signs of control and a lack of trust in His plan for our lives. On the reverse side of planning, not planning means drifting through life aimlessly with no purpose or vision. So what is the balance?

For my friends and family, I pray that our plans would be driven out of a mindset for eternity and a TRUST in God, who richly provides with everything for our enjoyment. I pray daily that we would not become fixated on our plans, but instead DO good and BE rich in good deeds. In this way, we will lay up a treasure for ourselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that we may take hold of the life that is TRULY life.

I pray that when we go set goals or make plans, we would ask ourselves how we would feel if the Lord rearranged or took them away. If we get an "icky" feeling at the thought of Him messing with our plans, we know it is an idol. If we have a peace about him taking away or changing, we have freedom to pursue that vision.
MOTIVATION of the heart is what can distinguish Spirit led goals from fleshly desires. For the Christian, motivation comes from within. For those whose hope is on the Lord, the motivation comes first, the goal second. We do not have to manufacture motivation by using the techniques of the world--we have the life of Christ within us.

There is so much wisdom in holding plans loosely, giving the spirit room to move in and re-direct. The thought of the Lord taking away can bring discomfort however, we can counter those thoughts with the TRUTH that God's plan is ALWAYS better than our own. He is a daddy who loves us. A papa in Heaven who's desire is to protect and not to harm. A father who knows us better than ourselves. A King who has a love for His children that will never give up, for He is faithful for us, even when we are faithless (2 timothy 2:13). How amazing is that word form the Lord? Even when we don't trust God, He is faithful FOR US! wow. Praise Him :)