Timeless Wisdom From ProverbsSample

Some Christians think planning is unspiritual. They say, “I let go and let God.” But over and over, the Bible extols the value of careful planning.

King Solomon understood the importance of having a plan. God gave him the dream of building a magnificent place of worship. But Solomon didn’t sit back like many Christians today and passively say, “If God wants this to happen, He’ll do it in His way and in His time.” He developed and executed a plan to build the temple.

In the book of Proverbs, we find verse after verse about the importance of planning:

• “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed” Proverbs 15:22 (NASB95).
• “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord” Proverbs 16:1 (NASB95).
• “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established” Proverbs16:3 (NASB95).
• “The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty” Proverbs 21:5 (NASB95).

Having a dream for your life isn’t enough; you need a plan that will take you from where you are to where you need to be to realize that dream. There are four excuses Christians have for not developing a plan for their lives. Excuse number one is: “What if I fail?” We don’t want to be embarrassed if we set a goal and then fail in that plan.

Second, some people say, “I have plenty of time; there’s no hurry” or “I don’t have enough time; there’s no use.” Both views of time are erroneous. The fact is, God has given each of us just the right amount of time we need to fulfill His plan for our lives.

A third objection is, “Doesn’t the Bible say we shouldn’t make plans?” There’s nothing wrong with making plans, but we ought to make plans within the boundaries of God’s will. Proverbs 19:21(NASB95) says, “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand.”

The final excuse is, “I don’t know how to make a plan.” God’s dream for your life is the intersection of your passion and your unique giftedness. Of course, God has the final word about your future, but that does not mean you should avoid making plans. We all need a plan.