“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3
What are your plan’s for today? Plan’s for us are so important. How much would we get done if we didn’t have some form of plan? I was talking with my wife today and one of the many plans we could have laid out was what are we doing for dinner? Ironically, earlier in the day today, I begin to develop some kind of plan for that dinner. The first thing in a good plan is order. If you’re going to barbecue meat, you will need charcoal, lighter fluid to fuel the plan. Next you will need ingredients to bring the plan together; so I drove over to the store and picked up fresh bread, tomato, lettuce, and oh yeah the part of the plan that makes it all so good, the chocolate chip ice cream. The final touches of this plan are of course, what time to cook it, to bring it all together?
Unfortunately, not all plans are actually planned before the outcome occurs. I’ve kept a close eye in my prayers for the ongoing trials in Oklahoma, where just last week they were leveled with a massive tornado. Just a week later, when plans were in process for cleanup and recovery, another series of massive tornado’s swept through the same area, taking the lives of 24 more lives along with those lives taken in the first tornado. The difference maker in this round of storm however was different from the one the week before. This series of tornado’s packed hurricane’s wrapped around these massive tornado’s bringing with it massive flooding, and deaths. There will be times when we feel that things can’t get much worse. It appears that just about every step we take the plans that have comes become more intense, with great furor, threatening us to lose hope.
It seems to me, the more we plan in our lives, to secure our families from harm, from health related issues, the more I see just how vulnerable we are, and yet not so alone. God is watchful of all the events of the world we live in, He is mindful of all our plans. And yet, for most of us, we see our plans ‘go up in smoke’. Things aren’t turning out the way we planned them. Oh, we prayed over the plans, and for some, waited on God to secure the plans, and yet, we’re left ringing our hands in despair, not seeing the fruit or fulfillment of what we had planned out.
The real question to ponder today is, how do I go about defining success for my plans? How can I be sure, that my plans will reflect the will of God for my life, for my family?
I found a few answers in God’s Word.
1. Are my plans bringing glory to God for His grace?
2. Am I conciously committing, surrendering, my plans to God’s will for me?
3. Am I trusting in my plans that God will be glorified in them?
James 4:13 “Come now, those saying, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and spend a year there, and we will trade and will make a profit, who do not know of the morrow. For what is your life? For it is a vapor, which appears for a little time, and then disappears. Instead of you saying, If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
The Bible clearly teaches us that it is not in our own power, that we have what it takes to properly guide our steps, we need God’s Safety Plan. Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, but Jehovah directs his steps.”
And when we are ‘developing’ our plans, remember that God longs to bless us, and even empower us, but not for our own selfish ambitions, but for our Eternal good. Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
And so, whether we miscue our plans, and forget to include God’s purpose in all our plans, we have a God who will see the eternal good of the plans, bear fruit and prosper, according to His will. Like Jesus said, we commit our plans and all our works unto the Lord as He say’s, “Not My will, Father, but Your will be done.”
The plans of our lives need to be carefully scrutinized not for the lack of success but upon how God is seen in those plans. Yes, God is even in the plans where our health may be severely challenged. I have to say that as I go through the plans God has presented to Patty and I, that He has a purposed plan, that will bring glory to Him, and with that glory, many others will learn to just accept the plans of God, whether what appears to be good or bad, He always knows what’s best, He holds our eternal future in His hands. What’s not to entrust In His plan, and watch it unfold in His love, mercy, and grace?
Here’s Today’s Video Encouragement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUi3WFt0Ux4
Walking the Berean Road 
For I know the plans I have for your says the Lord, plans for good to give you a future and a hope… This post reminded me of the verse of the day on our Wedding day. How this verse and the one you posted in your blog have comforted me through this time. Great Post!
Reblogged this on Walking the Berean Road and commented:
What a great reminder to us all, that yes, we should make plans; but it is God who will fulfill what we plan according to what He sees is right for us individually, and will bring us the greater reward. How about you today? Can you say with confidence that your plans are bringing God all the glory, that He may be able touch others lives in a powerful way? Don’t hesitate another moment, give Him your plans and ask Him to perfect them. I hope you enjoy this ‘reblog’ as much as I enjoyed the friendly reminder from God that despite what appear to be difficult or maybe even dire circumstances, God is at work in your plans. Personally, I need to be reminded that He is in my plans as much as I allow Him. Maybe you’ve been waiting for that ‘mountain’ to be moved, and it just appears to be getting bigger. Not allowing God into our plans will eventually leave you discouraged, and discouragement will find you with your head down, not seeing that God has already moved that mountain. I know for me lately, Me and my wife have been experiencing ‘growing pains’ in our spiritual walk with the Lord. It seems that everything we’re praying for in regard to one area seems to be at a standstill. No matter what we do, plan, seems to be making any difference in moving this mountain the Lord has set before us. I was looking at my Walking the Berean Road site this morning, checking on how many, where,from and what people were reading on this site. To my amazement, I noticed this post I wrote last year. As I read it, I found myself being ministered by God through it in a powerful way. The Lord wanted me to be reminded, that His plan is in full effect; He is simply working out details in me and my wife, and in the direction He is leading us to. As I read it, I was prompted by Him to re-post this devotion, adding to it some new thoughts, one year later. I do pray it will be inspiring for you or someone you know as well.
Remember, God’s Word says that, ‘Every good and perfect gift comes from above.’. Above…. ..
Psalm 121 speaks of how important it is to keep our eyes up, so we not discouraged when our plans are not moving fast enough… “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
And so maybe today, is the day the Lord has made for you. This is no accident you are reading this, God is speaking to you personally, saying; ““Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.” “Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
And so, what about you? What are your plans for today? Thinking about your plans is good, praying for those plans is better; but knowing those plans are going to be blessed by God, is all that really matters! Make your plans matter, bring them to God for a ‘spiritual tune-up’….you’ll find yourself running again; just like new!
I found this video, I hope it ministers to you deep, as it did for me.
Why not take a moment and let God into your plan, and begin to experience the” peace of God that surpasses all understanding”. Who knows, it may just be the one thing that will lift your drooping head, and you will see the plan God has prepared for you, one ‘exceedingly more, than you could ever ask or think’.