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.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.
James 4:13-16 NIV
My prayer is that as we make plans, we will understand that it is ultimately God’s will that prevails. Often, in our efforts to meet the world’s ever-increasing standards, we forget that God is the ultimate provider of life. This does not imply that we should avoid planning for tomorrow, next week, or even the coming year. Instead, we must recognise that it is God who works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure. Life is fleeting; a person is here today and gone tomorrow, with all their plans disappearing like the wind. However, the real tragedy would be for such a person to die without accepting Jesus Christ.
We often deceive ourselves into thinking that we control our lives and that our plans for the future will succeed. Sometimes, we even make arrogant statements like, “I will sort it out myself tomorrow.” Yet, we must remember that we are merely a mist, appearing briefly before vanishing. Life is brief, fragile, and more fleeting than we tend to acknowledge. While planning is important, the sin of presumption lies in assuming that we are in control. The truth is, we are not.
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
Luke 12:16-20 NIV
Consider the story of the rich man who planned to expand his barns and live in merriment. He confidently told his soul to relax and enjoy life, yet God declared that his life would be taken that very night. Dear friend, whatever you are or whatever plans you make are solely by the grace of God. He must never be placed in the passenger seat of your life because He alone knows the totality of your existence. Let your plans align with God’s will rather than being based on your assumptions. Any pros and cons you weigh should depend entirely on God’s will and desire for your life. Release control and entrust your life fully to Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, one way to escape this life of assumption and misplaced control is through gratitude. Gratitude fills us with the awareness of our frailty and leads us to thank God for His work in us. A grateful heart reminds us that God is the source of every good and perfect gift. As you thank Him for everything, always trust that if it is His will, He will make it happen.
