"A man's heart PLANS his way, but the Lord directs his steps."---Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV)
"There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all."---Peter F. Drucker
Plan (noun and verb): a scheme or method of acting, doing, proceeding, making, etc., developed in advance; a specific project or definite purpose; a formal program for specified benefits, needs, etc.; to arrange a method or scheme beforehand for (any work, enterprise, or proceeding); to make plans for
Synonyms: agenda, aim, angle, arrangement, big picture, blueprint, chart, course of action, deal, draft, game plan, idea, illustration, intention, layout, map, method, orderliness, outline, pattern, plot, procedure, program, project, proposal, proposition, purpose, scenario, sketch, strategy, suggestion, system, tactics, time line, undertaking
OK, that quote for the day should set some people FREE (John 8:32) off top! Anyway, this morning, I woke up with an old school Babbie Mason song in my spirit:
Out of the fire
To the flames of another trial
When you feel like your heart
Has had all it can take
And nothing is there left to break
In the heat of the fire
He will pull you through
When you don't understand
He is tried and true
No matter the question
There is an answer for you
So when the rain falls hard
And the storm winds come
And you feel it will never blow over
Trouble under your feet
Nothing over your head
And you find yourself running for cover
God has another plan
God has another plan
Thing is, I can't remember for the life of me the last time I've actually heard her singing it (even tried YouTube the song today), and I know it's been at least 13 years since my mother used to have it on repeat in her home. And yet, this is where God met me this morning. The irony is that, personally, I'm actually doing alright and so a part of me wondered if it was some kind of premonition of what's to come (Amos 3:7). And then, I thought about the lead scripture for today...and the definition(s) of the word "plan". And so, after praying about what to share (Luke 12:12), this is what God, through power of the Holy Spirit, gave me (although I'm sure he will meet you right where you are with other insights/revelations as well. He's really cool like that):
Let's take just a moment (because this will be a relatively quick one) to focus on two synonyms of "plan": draft and proposition. When it comes to my relationship with the Godhead, one of my favorite scriptures comes from the Book of Isaiah:
"The Lord says, 'Come, let us talk about these things. Though your sins are like scarlet, they can be as white as snow. Though your sins are deep red, they can be white like wool. If you become willing and obey me, you will eat good crops from the land. But if you refuse to obey and if you turn against me, you will be destroyed by your enemies' swords.' The Lord himself said these things."---Isaiah 1:18-20 (NCV)
God works for us, yes, but something that is not taught nearly enough is that God also works with us. There is a quote that I hear many people use that I have never fully jumped on the bandwagon with: "Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans." I mean, maybe it's just me, but while I get the gist of what the author was saying, it sounds a bit patronizing...and not totally biblically accurate. The Bible doesn't say that a man plans and God overrides those plans. It says that a man plans and 1) God directs him and 2) God counsels him...and it's God's counsel that stands. (Proverbs 19:21) What does this say to me? Family, nine times out of 10, we're not waiting on God. We need to (fearlessly) make some plans.
Some of us just got pink slips this week. What's your game plan?
Some of us just received a "challenging" health report. What's your course of action?
Some of us want to get out of debt, get married, have children, start a business, travel the world. What's the blueprint for achieving those things?
Don't mean to step on any toes but some of us are spiritually lethargic and that's why we're not getting anywhere. We desire something and then say, "I'm just gonna stand on God's Word"...but here's the thing: YOU ARE GOD'S WORD MADE FLESH. He spoke you into existence (John 1:1) just as he did Adam and yes, even Christ. Does that make you nervous? It shouldn't. Of course you are not the first man or the Son of God; no, you were not created in the Garden nor were you impregnated by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18), but you are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and that gives you a lot more power---power that GOD GAVE YOU (2 Timothy 1:7)---than you probably give yourself credit for.
I remember while growing up, there was a young lady in my life who was physically handicapped. Now, that meant there was something wrong with her legs, but certainly not with her mind. However, because human nature can be shallow, many people coddled her and so, she used it to her advantage. She could do many basic things like tie her shoes and use a walker to get a drink of water, but people were so quick to assume that her disability would control her life that soon, on many levels, that's exactly what it did. She couldn't use her body like everyone else, but soon that caused her mind to "grow weak" as well because she was not challenged as much as she should have been. She was not in perfect health, but she was much healthier than many of us believed her to be.
In the spiritual sense, many of us are the same way. We are sitting around waiting for God to do something that he has given us the capability to do: one of those things is plan. When I look back over my own life (James 5:16), when I think of most of the "mistakes" (Romans 8:28) that I made, I have to admit that it was usually because there was no real plan in place. I just kind of "rolled with it". But here's the thing: since God gave me a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind, then why was I not putting that to good use? With those three things on my side, my life should have been a lot less chaotic (and dramatic) than it was most days. The moral to the story? We have to stop living below our spiritual means. We have to stop waiting on things that God has already given us:
"God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. He's a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones."---Proverbs 2:6-8 (Message)
God is a rich mine of COMMON SENSE. What is common sense? It's "sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence". Why would you need that if you were going to sit back and not play a role in living out your own life? What's the use in having any of those virtues if you were going to let him do all of the work? The Bible says that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13) and that a part from him, we can do nothing (John 15:5), but is it just me or does it look like we play a significant part in both of those verses? The Word doesn't tell us "do nothing and he'll give us strength"...it says that if we move, and it's within God's will (I John 5:14), he will empower us.
And so, what does that have to do with Babbie's song? If we have a plan, why is there comfort in God having another one? Oh, I'm glad that you asked. Have you ever been approached by someone with a draft or a proposition? The idea sounds pretty good, but you can tell that, either due to ignorance, haste or even presumption, they don't have all of the details needed to make it happen? You may be planning to build a house, for instance, but because you don't know the end from the beginning (Revelation 22:13), you don't see the furlough that's up ahead or the crappy contractor who's out to take you for all you've got. The PLAN is to get build the home. God is who directs and counsels you on how to do it.
Because many of us don't seek him first re: our plans (Matthew 6:33), we often confuse our paths with our methods. I don't believe that God takes issue with most our ideas...he just wants to assist us in how to responsibly, methodically and productively bring them into fruition. I think that Babbie's song is for those of us who moved without counsel, it didn't work out and now we need some help. You still want to build a house but now you are $30,000 in debt because you moved in haste? GOD HAS ANOTHER PLAN.
You wanted to have a child, but you just found out that you are physically incapable? God has another plan.
You want to start a business, but you've burned some bridges? God has another plan.
You said something crazy to your spouse and you want to communicate more effectively? God has another plan.
God wants you involved in your life. He just wants you to entrust him with the development of the quality of life that you want to build. Is it interesting that Jeremiah 29:11 speaks to God knowing "the plans" and yet most of us assume that to mean that we are to walk around clueless until he reveals them. Isaiah encourages us to reason with him and Jeremiah just says that he knows them. (Jeremiah 33:3) I'm willing to bet that a lot of those plans are ones that we have and he just knows how to make them turn out for our greater good.
Shellie, that idea's cool. Now let me show you how to make it work for your betterment.
A radical concept for some, I'm sure. But, if you don't like your life right now, instead of standing around waiting, why don't you do something about it? Get a plan together and then take it to the Father and let him tweak it. He values your insights more than you might think he does. And why wouldn't he?
After all, you're made in his image. He knows what you're capable of...again, usually far more than you give yourself credit for.
You want to redraft something, start with your way of thinking.
Life is a series of memorable events. Get to planning.
©Shellie R. Warren/2009
Posted By: The SISTAHS Ministry
Tuesday, May 12th 2009 at 1:09PM
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