"I Have Plans"

"For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (NASB)

Have you ever made plans only to have them change? I should know better than making my own plans because things will happen to change my them- interruptions, change in schedules, unexpected problems, poor use of time, unplanned events. There is only so much time to get so much done. This is why the Lord tells us to “redeem the time”. (Ephesians 5:16) Other Bible versions say: make the most of the time, make every moment count, make the best use of your time. I had an older gentleman tell me once that “time is the stuff that life is made of”. I have never forgotten those wise words, although I don’t always apply them by using the gift of time that God has given me wisely.

There is so much that vies for our time- family, friends, jobs, housework, ministry duties, someone who needs to talk, emergency situations, social events, church obligations, appointments, errands to run, entertainment, the list is endless. Before you know it, the time is gone and your plans, even the most well-laid, are still unaccomplished.

I have learned that when things don’t always go according to my plans not to get upset, frustrated, angry or impatient. Sometimes God sends a “monkey wrench” into our plans to get us back to His plans. He has plans for me and so often, not only do my plans take me away from His plans, but they are the greatest waster of my time. Our plans need to be “flexible” leaving room for God to incorporate His plans into our day- His plans should always take precedence over our plans.

The best way to make sure that your plans succeed, that you don’t waste time, that you aren’t majoring on minors is to follow this one Biblical principle: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God”. If you will, literally, apply that to your life- to your plans, your decisions, your task, your time- before you do anything, acknowledge Him first, give His plans priority, then… all this shall be added to you.

Have a great day. Remember that plans can easily change. So, let’s seek God’s plans first and acknowledge Him in all our plans. “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” (James 4:15)

For further reading:

Matthew 6:33

Proverbs 3:5,6