Acting on or acting out

 We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. (Proverbs 16:1)

Woody Allen once quipped, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." We may think we have things figured out, but do we really? God's ways are often somewhere beyond our plans and schemes. We might be on the right course, but we may not know all that we shall encounter while on that course. We need God's wisdom in order to face the things we never 'planned for' along the way. 

At best, our thoughts can be ordered and in line with God's plans. At the worst, they can get us all muddled up and in a situation we don't have the means to get ourselves out of. We might think one thing, but find God takes us in an entirely different direction. John F. Kennedy said, "Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction." We need to understand God's purpose and we need to choose his direction.

Gather your thought but don't be too quick to move on them. They need to be submitted to the test of God's Word, his wisdom as given by his Holy Spirit, and then we can move. The Lord will give the right answers, but are we willing to submit our thoughts to his plan and purpose? If pride gets in the way, we will move ahead of him. If fear gets in the way, we will lag behind him. We need to stay connected to him, aware of his movements within, and be willing to listen when he speaks. 

The Lord's answers are most closely related to our 'gathered thoughts' when we are most closely connected to him. The closeness of our connection may very well be the thing that keeps us from acting on thoughts that never should be acted upon! Just sayin!