We can make plans, but the Lord directs our steps.
As the end of the year approaches, I’m thinking more and more about my goals. What I want to accomplish in the upcoming year and what I want to get done before the end of this year.
Note: If you use a planner for scheduling your days, you might want to pick yours out for 2022. I’ve noticed that the closer to the end of the year I wait to get mine, the less variety I have.
I notice some items I haven’t touched on like I thought I would, while others I have gone further than I hoped! I think the point of setting goals and making plans isn’t to lock yourself in to a rigid routine, but rather to give yourself a glimpse of where you want to go.
There is a saying which I like and it goes something along the lines of, “Perfection is unattainable, but if we will chase it we can achieve excellence.” I love the picture those words paint! And I want to live with excellence for God!
Make Plans
Personally, I make lots of plans. Anything from what I’ll take for lunch to how I want to grow my business.
A. Lot. Of. Plans.
And yet, I don’t accomplish all of them. Sure many of them come together and happen, but it is often the result of things not quite working out like I had initially thought. These moments I find it particularly important to pause and remind myself that even though I make plans, ultimately God directs my steps. This simple reminder brings me great peace.
So many times in life, I don’t get things. I don’t understand the timing, the opportunity, the unknowns, etc. But if I’ll just remain in peace, give it to God and wait for His perfect timing and direction, I find that the plans work out even better than I could have orchestrated on my own.
Work in My Heart
There are things in my life that I don’t quite get. I know what my hopes are, and I pray along these lines, along the glimpse of the vision I have, but I also pray that God will work in my heart. That He will incline my heart to what He has for me.
And He’s done this more than once! It may sound silly, but I’ve been in scenarios before where I just didn’t understand what was going on. It wasn’t within the plans I had made and I was just a bit baffled. I don’t get it, Lord, I’d pray, if this is what You have for me then change my heart. And He has. And I believe it has astonished me every time.
But truly, this is the attitude I want to have towards my life! I want to pursue goals and opportunities, all the while having a willing heart towards whatever He may have planned for me. I know He has plans of blessing and victory, abundance and love! His plans are far better than anything I can imagine and I want to lean into them as much as I possibly can!
Work in my heart, Lord, and let Your plans be my dreams!
Direct My Steps
I love how God orchestrates things. He has the whole world in His hand and He is incredible about bringing things together.
Recently I’ve heard about Red Sea moments in people’s lives and these stories are amazing! The way they have done all they can do and they are basically out of options and don’t know what to do next. God has a way of coming into these situations and amazing us! He parts the proverbial waters and delivers and directs us as only He can!
I love to look for examples like this in my own life. Places where I have a glimpse of a vision but have no clue how to achieve it. God steps in and shows me, often little by little, but sometimes in big, parting-the-Red-Sea ways!
May we learn to make plans with confidence that He will direct our steps!
Until Next Time!
Hope.
PS. Keep reading: https://www.theamericanlady.com/2018/04/11/your-plans-my-dreams/