For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29: 11 (NIV)
Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34
God does want our plans to be successful — as long as they are in line with His plans for us. We have to trust God to devise a plan that is best for us. This devotion looks at being committed to God’s plan for our lives.
Cliff Notes
- God wants our plans to success and to give us the desires of our hearts, but they have to be in line with His plan for our lives.
- God most definitely is in control of our plans.
- We have to have patience, endurance, and persistence – we have to be committed to God’s plans for our lives.
- We have to trust God.
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One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29: 11: “I will bless you with a future filled with hope — a future of success, not of suffering” (CEV). Think about these words — prosper, hope, success.
Prosper, Hope, and Success
“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed” (Ps. 20: 4 NIV).
Psalm 20: 4 is an interesting verse. Yes, God wants our plans to succeed. He wants to give us the desires of our heart.
But we have to watch out. “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Prov. 19: 21 NIV). Our plans have to fall in line with His Will.
That is where we get tripped up. Sometimes, our plans aren’t in line with what He is calling us to do or within the guidelines of how we are to live our lives as one of His children. He is not going to always make those plans successful.
God Is in Control
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Prov. 16: 9 NIV).
God most definitely is in control of our plans. Listen to this wonderful passage in Proverbs. “To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The LORD works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster” (Prov. 16: 1-4 RSV).
If our hearts are involved in our plans, and Jesus lives in our hearts (Eph. 3: 17), hopefully our plans are furthering God’s kingdom, and not our own worldly wishes.
That is why things happen out of left field. We focus on our worldly wishes, not His kingdom plan.
God is in control of the plan, but He will make sure we know what we need to know. “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” Am. 3: 7 NIV).
Some may get a sliver of an idea where His plan is going. We are all going to get where we fit into the plan. “These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God” (I Cor. 2: 10 NIV).
Perseverance and Commitment
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” (Prov. 16: 3 NIV).
When we plan something, we are planning for the future. It may be a couple of hours in the future or a couple of years.
We need to keep plugging away. “Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised” (Heb. 10: 36 NLT). Patience, endurance, and perseverance are the key words to this verse.
It requires commitment. We know God is committed to us. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1: 6 NIV). We have to be committed to Him.
What Does This Mean?
Let’s work backwards. God’s got this. He will work it all out (Prov. 16: 4).
That means we have to trust God. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3: 5-6 NIV). No, we don’t have to understand everything. We have to let God have control.
We have to plan — and then live the lives to which God calls us. “Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Eph. 5: 15-17 RSV).
How Do We Apply This?
First of all, we need to give thanks to God (I Thess. 5: 18). Then we have to find Hid Will for our lives. Reading His Word is essential for this.
Previously, we talked about a plan on how to do that.
- Hearing His Word: “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ” (Rom. 10: 17 NLT).
- Reading His Word: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near (Rev. 1: 3 ESV).
- Praying to Him: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4: 16 ESV).
- Studying His Word: “They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth” (Ac. 17: 11 NLT).
- Meditating on His Word: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Ps. 1: 1-2).
- Memorizing His Word: “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119: 11 NLT).
After we read His Word and find out what God’s plan is, we have to live it. “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me’” (Lk. 9: 23 NIV).
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I know. That can be hard at times. But God doesn’t leave us to fend on our own. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (Jas. 1: 5 NIV).
“All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent” (Isa. 28: 29 NIV). Did you see that? Plan — singular. Yes, we all have our plans, but they are all His plan. It is all about furthering His kingdom.
God wants us to plan. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Prov. 15: 22 NIV). He wants to be our top adviser.
Gracious, loving Father. You have said in Your Word that You have plans for us. These are plans from which we will benefit. Forgive us when we focus on our worldly plan instead of Your heavenly plan. We want to do Your Will. We want to further Your kingdom. Help us to put our trust in You. Amen.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15: 13 NIV).
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