The Lord Directs Your Steps

March 27, 2024

Wednesday

There are two truly perplexing things that we can do. We can fail to plan. Thus, we let life go as life will go and simply react to what happens. We can plan. Thus, we are constantly adjusting our plans because things don't always go according to plans. Which of these is better?

Plans don't go according to plans because we can't see all that will happen. There will be opportunities and setbacks that we never accounted for but require that we make adjustments to our plans. There are life changes that can do so as well.

Let's say that a person made plans that he or she would be an engineer. He set out to study engineering but along the way he has an encounter with God that moves him in a different direction. He is led into a teaching career. Of course, he may not make as much money teaching and that may change subsequent plans after college. I had a young man in a church who believed God wanted him to go into the ministry. He entered college with that in mind but realized that he had made a mistake. His plans radically changed.

So, is it better to make no plans. While you maybe less disappointed when no plans are made, there is no virtue in failing to make plans. No plans represent no goals. No goals will result in doing the minimum because there are no plans for the future.

There must be a solution that has plans but knows that plans can be changed. That plan is one that puts all plans in God's hands. In other words,  You plan according to what and where the Lord is leading you. You are aware that there may be roadblocks and pauses in these plans. God may want you as a missionary for ten years and a teacher after that. God may require that you go back to school. God may require that you take less money in a new job. This is different between having no plans and having all plans. Your plan is to walk with God wherever He takes you. He tells you where to go with an overall understanding of the plan. 

Take Moses, for example. Moses knew he would lead the people out of Egypt to the Promised Land. He didn't know all the steps it would take to get there. He let God lead him all the way. The Apostle Paul knew that he was the apostle for the Gentiles. He didn't know all that he would encounter when he set off. He just knew that he wanted to know Jesus more. He knew that this meant he would walk with Jesus through whatever the Lord gave him.

So, get before the Lord and make plans with Him. Know that He might have some changes along the way. Ultimately, God wants you to walk with Him. No one loves you like God. Walking with Him draws us close to Him. When you look back at your life you will understand the pauses and road blocks. Then, you will realize that He was with you all the way.

Proverbs 16:9 (NASB 2020) ⁹ The mind of a person plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.