Day 22 – Making plans is a good thing. It helps us to organize our time and energy, and to stay on track, rather than just go back and forth on things that are not important.
Sometimes it helps to make a list to work from and we can organize our time into sections of the day where we do this in the morning, and other times of the day we do that. It sounds so good, doesn’t it?
Well, just because it sounds good doesn’t make us any more likely to stick to the plan. Some days we just don’t want to do certain things, for example, I like to exercise to keep myself in something similar to a good healthy shape. However, there are times when I just can’t seem to do it, especially if I am feeling ill.
I recently set myself a goal of losing 50 pounds. Now, that sounds good, but the reality is that I may not lose 50 pounds. What if I only lose 45 pounds? Will I feel like a failure, or should I be content with 45?
I realize it is a big goal that I have set for myself, but it is a goal, not a mandate, so if I only lose 45 I will not consider myself a failure. I have a plan, but I do not plan the outcome.
Planning the outcome of something leads to frustration, emotional stress, and a sense of failure if it doesn’t go exactly as planned. It also leads to resentment. And resentments can be deadly.
In addition, if we plan then that means we have a direction to go in, and without a plan we can easily go astray.
The Bible says that God sometimes laughs at the plans of humankind. What does that mean? Well, it means that God knows what is best for us, and he also has it in His power to help us with our plan or He may choose to stop our plan.
Meditation for today: I need to plan, but the outcome I should leave to God.
Prayer for today: God, help me to trust you and accept what outcome You decide to bless me with.
Steve Holder 