PLANNING

"Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that'" (James 4:15).

When I was boy, I remember the older saints would often include, "Lord willing", whenever they made a statement concerning the future. You may have heard, "Lord willing and the creeks don't rise". We don't use, "Lord willing", much anymore. "Lord willing" is not a fatalistic statement accompanied by the throwing of our hands up in the air as if we had no ability to influence our future. We do have choices to make that influence our future. "Lord willing" is a faith-filled declaration that in spite of our works (and best intentions)--we don't control the future. It's ultimately out of our hands. There is a God and you're not Him! "We can make our plans but it is the Lord who determines our steps" (Proverbs 16:9). Truth is, "Lord willing" takes some of the pressure off. Not everything depends on you getting it right. Not everything fails if you fall.

Today, see if you can work "Lord willing" into your vocabulary. If nothing else, it will remind you of who is really in charge.