Planning

Many people begin the New Year by making new plans. But they never seem to last. And I think I know why. The problem is that plans aren't as strong as patterns.

Last weekend we went to the local mountains and found the perfect hill for sledding. It was pretty steep but safe with no real obstacles. Well, there was one obstacle. Some kids had built a four foot mogul for the thrill seeking sledder looking for airtime.

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As I prepared to sled down the hill, I made my plans. I set up as far as possible from the mogul to insure I wouldn't hit it. Then I took off down the hill. You know the rest of the story. I couldn't have planned to hit it more squarely. Apparently there was a groove in the snow that took me straight toward the launch pad. So much for my plans!

Plans aren't as strong as patterns.

In the same way, we can make all kinds of plans for change, only to discover as we take off that we have slid into old patterns.

The Bible says, 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 problem is that we often make our plans as if we know what future holds. 2008 should have taught all of us that that is a risky bet. Instead we must change our pattern of self-reliance. We must begin to factor God into our plans because only He knows the future. More than that, even when our plans are made, we should hold onto them loosely, leaving room for God to work. He has a way of improving our plans if we let Him.

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