For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLT) This may be one of a group of frequently quoted scripture verses, but if we look closely at what God says here, it will be more than just a great 'logo' for a coffee cup! He knows the plans HE has for us. Will they always match up to OUR plans. Nope. Will his timing for those plans be OUR timing? Nope. Will we wish we knew more of the plan before we start doing whatever it is he asks? Yup. They are HIS plans for US. Plain and simple, we cannot outwit his plans, nor can we succeed when we challenge them by taking our own plans more seriously than his. They are plans for good and not disaster. We need to grasp fully what he is telling us right there. He doesn't plan calamity, although it comes into our lives without us ...
If you plan to do evil, you will be lost; if you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness. (Proverbs 14:22 NLT) Plans matter, don't they? I always admired individuals who could seemingly go through life without a plan, just spontaneously hopping from one thing to another, with really awesome outcomes. I was not one of those individuals. Once I learned the value of a list, I started making them! Once I learned the joy of checking things off on that list, I worked diligently to get each and every one of those items checked off. It isn't bad to plan - it is the basis of life. The motive behind the plans is what matters. Are the plans correct for our life? Is the timing right for the completion of those plans? Will the plans add value to our lives? These are but a few of the questions we must consider when 'making plans'. There are likely a few others, such as will those plans hurt or help others, are they within our means, or will they be realiza...