She clears her throat and asks the question quietly, “There’s a New Year coming and I’m thinking about what’s ahead. But what if my desires aren’t what God wants for me? Is it really okay to plan?”
I smile and nod, “Yes, because there’s a very big difference between a plan and a demand.”
A plan says, “Given what I know this is the direction I believe God wants me to go–but he can reroute me along the way.”
A demand says, “It’s my way or the highway.”
A plan says, “My heart and hands are open.”
A demand says, “I’m holding tight to what I want no matter what and I won’t release it.”
A plan says, “I’m seeking to be a faithful steward of what’s been entrusted to me.”
A demand says, “I’ve got my own agenda and I’m going to make sure it happens.”
So dream and prepare for the year coming. Ask God to be part of the process. And when you’re done, give it all back to him. If you’re willing to do that, then it’s a plan not a demand. And you can move forward with freedom, confidence and joy. “Many are the plans in a person’s heart,but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” {Prov. 19:21}.
God will make sure we get where we need to go in the end. Sometimes our part is just to get moving, my friend…
XOXO