Is Planning for
Life Biblical?
Many
are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs
19:21 (NIV)
Should a Christian make plans for the
future? This is a question I have been trying to get an answer for since
Saturday. Last Saturday we lost one of our very dear members. We never expected
anything of this sort to happen. Mr. Abraham (Babu), 59 years of age was called
to eternity. He had many plans of having a vacation in Kerala and was very
excited about it. His death forced many of us to ponder over the brevity of
life.
Should a Christian make plans for the
future? Some people believe that planning for the future shows a lack of trust
in God today. Maybe you have heard the saying, “By failing to prepare, you are
preparing to fail” or “Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark!”
Most people believe that it pays to plan in life, and that if you want to
succeed at something, then planning plays an important part of getting you
there. But for a Christian, planning is a paradox. We try and plan for
the future, yet we know that the future is in God’s hands. We are called to
wait upon God while being urged to take action. Does planning for the future, then,
contradict living by faith?
Planning and faith are not either/or
approaches to living the Christian life. For example, Joseph told the people of
Egypt to prepare for a coming famine that God revealed was coming. David
planned for the building of the temple and provided everything Solomon needed
to do the job after his death. Nehemiah made careful plans and preparations for
the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem while also waiting on God for the
right time to do the job. The apostle Paul frequently made plans to visit new
cities where he could share the gospel while also making plans to return to old
cities where he had planted churches. Even Jesus taught on the importance of
making plans, as in the story of the wise and foolish builders, or when He
taught about counting the cost in Luke 14:28–30, and in His teaching concerning
the king planning for battle in Luke 14:31–32.
So how can we make sure that we are
planning God’s way?
First, we rest in the fact that God is in
control. True, God wants to use us and that He has a plan for our life (Ephesians 2:10), but do not start making any plans without first seeking His
will. Planning and prayer go hand in hand, so do not leave God out of the
planning process. Planning ahead is good; just remember that God is the One in
control of our future.
Next, when planning, stay flexible! Give
God the freedom to adjust our plans so they can better fit His purposes. Also
while planning, be committed to honoring God in our life today. Make sure we
are living each and every day in a way that honors God and is obedient to His Word.
Only then can we be sure that God will remain involved in our plans for the
future. As we trust God today, He will guide us into the future (Proverb 3:5–6).
Lastly, always make plans that keep heaven
in mind. As we live for heaven and not this world, the way we plan should be
reflected in the fact that we know our future and hope are not found in the
things of this world. Keeping that in mind will radically affect the way we
plan for tomorrow.
Although we do not know what tomorrow
holds because tomorrow is promised to no one, planning ahead still has value.
Planning for the future, with prayerful consideration, is good for us and our
family. Planning is biblical, shows faith and trust, and establishes our commitment
to do what God has directed us to do.
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