You Gotta Have a Plan

"The Lord will work out his plans for my life" - Psalm 138:8


What is your plan?
Do you have one?
Do you need one?

Nothing is accomplished without making a decision to do so. This can either be consciously or unconsciously. You make decisions and plans all of the time you just don't know it.

Step # 1 - Include God in you plans.
Think about the opening and closing scenes in the movie Forest Gump. Remember the feather floating on the air going wherever the wind blows it. Life can be just like that feather is we don't have a plan.

James 1: 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Step # 2 - Realize the Importance of having a plan

Play this game - Get two rolls of those miniature sweet tarts. You know the kind that you get at Halloween. Before you start write the number down that you think you can stack without the stack falling over. Now using one hand (ha! I tricked you) start stacking. Oh, and you only have 60 seconds (trick you again). How many did you stack? Take that number and write it down. Now subtract 2 points for every sweet tart that you fell below your goal. If you were above your goal there are no bonuses.

Do this again. Write a new number down that you think you can stack. Can you do more? Let's see. Go! Oh, I forgot to tell you to use the other hand (tricked you once again. Ha!). By the way the timer is now at 45 seconds.

What was your score this time?

One more time. Write down the number that you think you can stack in 30 seconds. This time you will receive a bonus of 3 points per sweet tart above your goal and you still loose 2 points for everyone that you come up short. You also can use either hand but only one. Go.

Did you do better? What made you do better?

Was it knowing all of the rules?
Was it by picking which hand to use?
Was it having a goal?

Step 3 - Seek God to determine you path

Psalm 23:3 (New International Version)

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

But how does this work for you? It's simple. If fact its so simple that almost all of us don't do it nor do we believe that it works.Yet if you don't do it and do it on a daily basis you'll fail. That one simple thing is to pray and seek God's will for your life. If you already have a plan in life you have to take that plan to God. God will make it clear if your plan is His.

Proverbs 19:21 (New International Version)

21 Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

Step 4 - Open your eyes

Remember the game of pin the tail on the donkey when you were much younger. I can still remeber the smell of the pillow case that mom used at one birthday party and the feel of it being tied snugly over my eyes. You could still see light but everything was blurry. Then you are spun around over and over till you're completely disoriented and a little dizzy. It was hard enough to stand but now you had to walk toward the poster of the donkey with a sharp object in your hand and hit a target that couldn't be seen.

Life can be like that game. Without a plan you'll wander aimlessly and you'll take whatever comes your way. You won't realize it at the time but you be pointed toward things like in the game without even being aware of it.

Plans and goals are God's way of opening your eyes to see where you're going and doing.

Psalm 73:24 (New International Version)

24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.