Making Plans

Want to make God chuckle; tell him your plans. 

Want to make God beam with pride and joy, ask him for his plans and join him.

     I cannot tell you how many times over the years I’ve shared my plans with God – really good plans that I was just sure he was going to get excited about. Plans that would have helped me financially; plans that would have helped our church grow numerically; plans which would have given me opportunity to reach a lot of people with the gospel; really, really good plans that I was just sure would make God happy.

      I would often share these plans with others and ask them to pray about the plans. I believed if I got the support of others, surely that was affirmation the plans were good and God would be even more impressed. After all the work I put into my plans, it seems God isn’t always in agreement with me. Sure, there are times he seems to bless my plans, but other times he seems to ignore them. It took me a long time to believe the phrase: if you want to make God chuckle, tell him your plans.

    To that statement I would add the following, “if you want to make God beam with pride and joy, ask him for his plans and join him.” Doesn’t this make more sense?

     God does listen to our plans because he loves us; just as I listen to my children’s’ plans because I love them. Some of their plans are good and I want to give them all the support I can. Other times I can tell right away the plans are not good. And there are the times when their plan might be good, but I know the plan I have for them is better. I believe we can trust that God’s plans are always better.

     While I’m limited in how much I can look ahead and determine whether my children’s plans are good or not, God is limitless or unlimited. He can see the end from the beginning. He is the master-planner. In fact his plan for us was made before the foundation of the world and he has never let go of that plan. He also has plans for us today, and tomorrow, and next month. He will never force us to follow his plans, but he does have a journey laid out that will prove to be a blessing to us and others. Again, I believe we can trust his plan.

     “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me” (Jer. 29:11-13).

     Let’s continually seek God’s plans and join him. – Rick