Making Plans
Proverbs 16:9 reminds us that -” We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”
I consider myself a “professional planner” by trade, based on over 40 years of experience in the military and as a certified project management professional (PMP). In this “planning” line of work, you succeed and fail by how well you plan and execute various operations or projects. The most successful planners typically have a unique, and sometimes, uncanny ability to foresee the direct connections between planned actions and the expected realities of the future situation or circumstances. They also are adept in identifying and mitigating risks to achieve the ultimate objective. The most highly recognized and successful leaders in history from the fields of politics, military, medicine, finance, and industry were also highly skilled planners. They each had a clear vision of the future.
As humans, we make plans; plans for the day, plans for next month, plans for vacation, plans for our education and careers, and plans for retirement. But in our planning activities, how many of us turn to God for guidance in our planning? How many of us believe in Solomon’s words of wisdom quoted above? Isn’t God the “BPOAT” (Best Planner of All Time) who has the best foresight to determine our steps? Wouldn’t He be the best source for obtaining true guidance instead of relying strictly on our own desires, abilities and perceptions of the future? How far into the future can your crystal ball clearly see?
Relying on Human Guidance
Like most people, I typically rely on the Global Positioning System (GPS) installed in my vehicles or on my cell phone to provide me guidance when I’m traveling, especially when I’m navigating unfamiliar territory. Staying on the right path to the destination is the most comforting, while getting lost is stressful, scary, and potentially the most dangerous.
In writing this story, it reminded me of a road trip I had a few years ago with my three golfing buddies. Jack (driving), Ron, Skip and I were headed to the Pinehurst area for a weekend of golf. Somewhere in a rural area of North Carolina, a few hours into our journey, we were quickly approaching an intersection where we had to decide which path to take to stay on course. Except for Jack, we were all focused on our individual cell phone’s GPS application to guide us and help make the correct turn up ahead. Suddenly, I yelled out, “Slow down, Jack, so the GPS can catch up to us!”.
As Jack reacted to my command and quickly began slowing the vehicle down, we all burst out laughing at the folly of his action. You see, there was no need to slow the car down, because GPS is designed to feed very accurate data at typical highway speeds. GPS was constantly delivering near-real time position coordinates to our devices to provide us needed guidance for our travels. GPS is always there, right?
GPS does have some limitations based on atmospheric conditions, signal strength, and location accessibility. GPS is not always there to help us in our navigation decisions, nor can it always identify risks or dangers lurking ahead. You can still get “lost” with GPS. I that know for a fact, because I’ve done it when I didn’t follow directions.
Veering Off Course
There have been many times in my travels when I believed my directions for travel were undoubtedly correct. I’m a proud member of the “No Guidance Needed Club” which meant I firmly believed I always knew how to get to my destination, typically to the chagrin of my wife and children. Before GPS, I sometimes waited until we were thoroughly lost, before making a stop to ask directions from the local experts. Yes, I’m a “typical” man.
Likewise, in my earlier journeys in life, I also routinely believed I needed no guidance. My objective was clear, my resources were available, and I had the courage of my convictions to carry on No Matter What to reach the goal. I just forgot one very important aspect for the journey. I didn’t trust that the Lord would bless my plans, so I didn’t seek His guidance to ensure my plan was in accordance with His purpose for my life. I should have remembered Solomon’s words of wisdom, as quoted above, and asked God to determine my steps. Unfortunately, I was either too arrogant or impatient to ask God for His guidance and blessing. In some of those instances, that was a very costly error.
There are times when we may forget that God is always there to guide us. We veer off course when our busy lifestyles, self-reliance, or arrogance causes us to ignore or lose trust with what God has planned for us. Believing that we know the better way to God’s kingdom, we may suddenly find ourselves lost and far away from His righteous path. “How did I get myself into this mess?” That is exactly when we need to slow down, apply our spiritual brakes and take a healthy dose of patience as the right prescription for our souls.
Remembering the comical anecdote of re-living the golf trip, it helped me to solidify my belief that God is always with us, to guide our steps for every part of our journey in life. He is omnipresent, surrounding us with His love and protection, providing for our needs, and giving us His true guidance for keeping us on the right path for our destinations in life. Much, much more than any man-made GPS can ever provide.
“Recalculating”
Recall the parable Jesus told his disciples about the Prodigal Son, who after squandering his inheritance in a foreign land, finally came to his senses, and began his repentant journey back to his father’s house. What Jesus was teaching His disciples was that even when we ignore the Father’s guidance, because of His love for us, God is always there to help us get back on the right track for fulfilling His will.
If you use GPS regularly, you probably have also experienced those moments when you did not follow the GPS guidance and decided to follow a different path. That’s when you heard that familiar voice from the GPS telling you that “she” was recalculating your navigational guidance to ensure you reach your planned destination.
Similarly, when you decide to follow your own path in life, and find yourself lost and bewildered regarding which way to turn or what to do, God will use the Holy Spirit to kindly and gently ease you back on to the right course for fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. That’s when God’s infinite love for you will guide and direct you back to the peaceful protection within His loving arms. All you have to do is listen and obey.
As Paul proclaims in Romans 8:39, “Neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God is always with us, No Matter What!
Getting Back on Course by Obeying God’s Directions
With God’s omnipresence in this world and in our lives, what are we supposed to do? First and foremost, believe with all your heart, soul, mind and strength that God’s love for you is constant, unwavering, and unconditional. Second, be confident in that His love for you is a source of healing, comfort, provision and refuge from the storms of life. Third, give Him your absolute trust.
Listen to the words in Proverbs 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding; but in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” In other words, don’t be so quick to rely solely on yourself due to an inflated sense of overconfidence or arrogance in your own abilities. Put all your trust in God who knows all things, sees all things, and can make all things work to His honor and glory. Acknowledging that God is the single, true source for guidance in your life will enable you to slow down, to stop, wait, and listen for God’s direction. Having absolute confidence in the Lord, will enable you to then obey His commands in order to stay on course for the journey to His kingdom. Trusting God’s directives will bring honor and glory to God, and peace to your heart and soul, because you will be back on course in fulfilling God’s plan for your life. Your weary heart and soul can finally rest in His love.
Live, Learn, and Grow in Jesus!!
Blessings of Peace to All,
Jerry
