Plans Change

Plans change. That is a hard truth that we tend to struggle with, or at least I do.  I have had an outline for the book that I’m writing for 4 or 5 years. I finally get it all written. I am excited. I start going through it all to clean up all the mistakes that I tend to make, and it hits me. There are things that need to be addressed that I never addressed. What do I do? I was done with the writing part; I don’t “want” to add to the outline that I’ve been focused on for years. I don’t “want” to change it. That was not the plan. Apparently plans change, because now the “new” plan is to add three more chapters.

How often do we have things mapped out in our minds, expecting that they are going to go a specific way, and then it gets changed? How do we respond to that? The real question there is: are we willing to let God change our plans?

I have found in my own life that when I submit to God’s plans over my own, I’ve always been blessed. I never wanted to even apply at John Deere, but it turned out to be the best career move I could have ever made. I had no real desire to live in Missouri; my eye was set on Arkansas (don’t ask me why, I have no clue), but I have been beyond blessed to be here.  It’s almost like God’s plans for us are better than our own. Imagine that!

When we understand that, it changes how you look at every situation and every action. You start to put less trust in your own plans and desires and more trust in what God has for you.

When we start making plans based on our desires without consulting God at all, we are asking for trouble. James goes so far as to say that it’s sin.

James 4:13-16
¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— ¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

In general, we don’t see anything wrong with following our own agenda. We will make the argument “God wants us to be happy…this makes me happy.” Of course, that’s a simplified way of saying it, but that’s the gist of what we are saying when we think that way. The problem with that thought process is: what makes us think that we know what’s best for us, or what will make us happy?

We looked last week at peer-pressure, and how teenagers think that caving to peer-pressure will make them happy (sex, drugs, alcohol) until the consequences show up.  When we do things our way, we are just as silly as those teenagers who believe that they are smarter than everybody in the world. We warn teenagers because we see the consequences; they ignore us because they don’t. God directs us because he knows the consequences of our poor decisions; we ignore him because we think we know better. We don’t.

If we want to do the right thing, we need to consider

Proverbs 3:5-7
⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

Normally people stop after vs 6, but vs 7 is the real key to that section. How often are we wise in our own eyes, don’t fear God, and turn right to evil? And that’s where we get into trouble.

We want so badly to be in control of every facet of our lives, yet we have no clue what the future holds. God will show us the right path, and we will fight Him every step of the way. Why? Because “we want control”. God knows all, including what will happen with every decision we make, so when He guides us, our best option is to pay attention.

God’s Word tends to go against this very nature that we have. We value our freedom, especially as Americans. When we hear that Christ will set us free, that’s what we desire. Then we are told “you need to do this…”, or “you can’t do that…” That doesn’t sound like freedom at all. It’s because we misunderstand how that freedom works. We are “free” to do whatever we want, but what we “want” changes. The closer we draw to Christ, the more our wants align. Why? Because the closer we draw to Christ, the more we realize that what He wants is actually better for us than what we want for ourselves.

Deep down, we know… We just need to win that battle going on within.  We need to quit being proud, quit thinking our way is best, and just submit to God.  James basically tells us that.

James 4:6-8
Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” ⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

If we are willing and able to do that, God will bless that obedience.  Peter picks up where James left off and tells us a little more.

1 Peter 5:6-7
⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

So, according to Peter, if we are willing to humble ourselves, God Himself may exalt us. We should pass our worries to Him, because He really does care.

Our job is to just be obedient, and let Him worry about the rest; that is freedom in itself.  So when I discovered that I had missing material in my book, my flesh said… “No, this is the outline that you’ve had for years, just leave it, you don’t need to do any more work.” But my spirit knows better, and is telling me “you want it done right, not sloppy, this book is for His glory, take the time, do the extra work, and do it right.” Honestly, I don’t “Want” to write any more chapters for this book, but it’s not about what I want. I do want to do what’s right, and I’ve learned over the years, that doing what I want, rather than what God wants, always comes back to bother me. So 3 more chapters it is. They may or may not make it in the final edition, but I’m going to be obedient. I would encourage you to be obedient as well.

Thank you for reading this, as always, I would encourage you to spend time in His Word, in prayer, and in the fellowship of other believers.  And if you haven’t visited already, I would encourage you to come visit our little church on the hill—it’s worth the drive.

 

Bro. Jason