Has a Plan
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that”
-James 4:13-15
The last trait of a church heaven applauds (a church God loves to bless) is that it has a plan. This kind of church has earnestly sought God’s guidance, developed a plan, and boldly steps forward to implement the plan. This kind of church knows where it’s going or at least a very good idea of its direction. But although this church has a plan in place, it also acknowledges that God can change the plan at any season. It has a plan but a flexible plan. Of course it will be God who directs, but what will God direct if we have no plans. It would be like traveling to a new place without a map or GPS.
There are many reasons we do not plan. We are afraid our plans will fail. We don’t want to plan because that takes us out of the moment. We do not plan because we just could not find the time to plan. There is also sometimes the feeling that if the church plans that those plans are our own selfish plans and we really should just wait on God. But if we plan in the prayer and guidance of God, God will work in, work through, and even work against our plan to build His Kingdom here on Earth. But the truth still remains that if we fail to plan we plan to fail.
