HAVING A GOOD PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Although God's ultimate plan for us is to be with Him in Heaven for eternity, God has given us the privilege of using our own free will to make plans. For example, we can make plans for tomorrow or our future, such as those related to our careers, education, health, marriage, family, jobs, or retirement. Proverbs 21:5 says, "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty." Good planning helps us to have clarity on what we want to do. It helps us avoid being distracted or getting off track. Our good planning reduces stress and anxiety because it helps us avoid making last-minute decisions that can lead to panic or hasty choices. I recall that when I first began leading a ministry, I was too lazy to make plans and just wanted to wing it. As a result, I didn't lead well, and some of the volunteers got frustrated. It was only by the grace of God that everything ultimately worked out. However, the Lord impressed upon my heart the need to make a good plan.

Proverbs 20:18 provides guidance on creating a successful plan. It says, "Plans succeed through good counsel; don't go to war without wise advice." Asking for advice when making decisions is a wise thing to do, as others may see things that we do not. For example, they have a better experience than we do. When I was a student at the seminary, I struggled to balance my schoolwork and ministry responsibilities. One of my professors offered me advice on making wise decisions. As a result, I made clear goals on what I needed to do as a student. If we don't know how to make a plan, ask God to teach us. God may use others to show us how to make good plans. A good start to making a good plan is to make a plan today for what we want to accomplish tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. If we already have a plan for the future, we need to be consistent with it. We need to set aside all of the distractions and stay focused. 

The final step we need to take after having our plan for the future is to commit our work to the Lord. Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed." There is more to this topic of planning. We will continue our discussion tomorrow. Have a blessed day.

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Why is it important to make a good plan for tomorrow? Do I have a plan for what I want to do in the future? If I already have a plan, what should I do next to work on accomplishing it?

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for showing me this morning the importance of planning. Please help me create a good plan and stick to it consistently. Protect me from laziness and hasty decisions that can lead me to stress and anxiety. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.