Plan Within God's Will (James 4:13-17)

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
(James 4:13-17, NASB)

I have an entire weekend retreat talk centered around knowing God’s plan for our lives. I do believe God will reveal His plan—sometimes. Yet I do believe He expects us to do a bit of planning ourselves.

It’s a fine balance. Trusting God and planning our futures.

I’m a big-time planner. I like to know what I need to do and where I need to be—often months ahead. But I do my planning with a major caveat: I pray for God’s will in all things.

In my book, The Best Laid Plans, I quoted Bill Russell:

Any plan has to be submitted with the qualifier, “Lord willing.” Still, although God may alter any plan through dramatic circumstance or counsel, Jesus said, “No man builds a tower without first sitting down and calculating the cost” (Luke 14:28). While we realize that God is in control, he does expect us to make provisions for the future (When God Builds a Church © 2000, p. 89).

We know this. We know we should say, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”

But have you ever thought that when you don’t ask for God’s will—sincerely ask for it—you’re being arrogant? Even more, you’re sinning?

When you commit your life to the Lord, you’ve given Him back what’s already His. Plan your life. But put everything in God’s loving hand. Ask Him to do His will in all things. And trust that His plan is perfect for you (Jeremiah 29:11).