Change of plans

"For ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that."  James 4:15

Good morning, dear friends!

Ever had a change of plans?

I am a planner.  I make to-do lists.  I like to know what's on my schedule, my kids' schedule, on my husband's schedule.  I like to plan ahead for things.  I have not gotten to the point where I plan out my meals, but I do try to think ahead towards future events, even if they are not for a week or a month.

My oldest son is also a planner.  He will make out elaborate lists for how to spend his vacation day, or his allowance, or prioritize his Lego projects.  This will be a great help for him later in life, if he will remember one essential truth:

Life doesn't always go as it is planned.

My son and I both experienced one of those hiccups this week.  For my son it was a day off from school (teacher's strike) that he had been planning to spend his time doing certain activities. Well, as it turned out, he had to stay longer at school that he had planned, which led to a mini-meltdown in his schedule, and a mini drama in his life.  

For me, it was unexpected car problems this week that meant that my long-awaited (and finally close to being realized) back deck project, would be waiting a little bit longer.

What is my reaction when things don't go according to my plans?

Well, from past circumstances, it has resulted in mini tantrums, anger, tears, or a rebellious heart.  I don't do well with change, and especially when I have devised out what I think would be the best solution to a given  situation.  There's only one problem with that:

I am not God.

Only God's plans are perfect for my life.  He alone sees the big picture.  He knows what is coming my way this week, this month, this year, this lifetime.  I may have things worked out for me, but that doesn't mean that I have thought of all of the possibilities that only a perfect God can know about.

Here are some problems that come when I try to order my steps:

Presumption.  I assume that my circumstances are going to continue just as they are, without any foreseeable changes.  James 4:13-14 reminds me that I do not know what is coming my way:  "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow."

Reliance on my riches and timeline.  God appoints me as a steward, and my resources, both in terms of money and time, belong to Him alone.  In the same passage mentioned above, God reminds me that there are no guarantees that today's financial plans are His will for tomorrow:  "To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain."

Shortsightedness.  "For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (James 4:14) My life here on earth is not forever.  Making my plans apart from God, with whom I have the blessing of living for all eternity, is just foolishness.  I do not even have the guarantee of my next breath, much less the next years to come.

Blinding pride.  Achieving my plans at any cost keeps me from the flexibility that I need to be able to see and respond to the needs of those around me.  I am again reminded in this passage:  "But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:16-17)  I must allow God to change my plans as needs arise, so that I can reach out to help others in need, rather than selfishly hoarding God's blessings for myself.

The key verse here in the passage is the verse at the top of this blog:  "For ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that."  (James 4:15)  By allowing God in my thoughts when I am making my plans for this day, whether with my time or my finances, I am putting Him in the rightful place as King, Lord and Master of my life.

Then, if my plans for the day must change, I am ready for that.  I am not caught unaware, but am ready to do whatever needs to be done, so that Christ would be honored in my life, and that I would get a little bit smaller in my own estimation. 

I praise the Lord for a mini victory in my life this week.  I was able to accept the changes in my plans with graciousness, and not worry.  I was able to hand the deck/car problem situation to the Lord, and walk away, my faith intact and maybe a little bit more like Christ in my life.

May each day bring similar victories, so that my plans always become God's plans, so that I am able to say, in all honesty, "Not my will, but thine."

(Just FYI:  Any stories that are related from my children are always printed with permission from them and their approval before posting!)