Let God Be God

Are you a planner? I mean a serious planner - like the ones that have their lives mapped out for the next few months or years. You have already decided to reach your goal, you must join this organization, you must attend that conference,you have to network on LinkedIn, do this internship, attend this university, work that job, and the list goes on. 

But if you plan that much and have it all figured out, it begs the question: where does that leave room for God? 

Where in your plans have you included God? Is that even what God has for you? Or better yet, will you be disappointed/ upset/ or angry if God shows you that is not what He has called you too? 

Let’s look at the Word (note: these scriptures are not exhaustive; there are PLENTY of scriptures in the Bible concerning this):

Isaiah 55:8-9 AMP

8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Proverbs 16:9 AMP

A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], but the Lord directs his steps and establishes them

Jeremiah 29:11-13 AMP

11 For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you. 13 Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart

And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

6 In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,

And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way

Deuteronomy 31:8 

It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Psalm 32:8 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you [who are willing to learn] with My eye upon you.

John 10:27-28 

27 The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand.

When we read God’s promises to us in His Word (the Bible), then it is easy to see that worrying is not of God. We also see that sometimes we may plan something for ourselves and it is in total contradiction to what the Lord has called us to do. 

A woman of God I know always says “it may be a good plan. And a really good plan at that. But [you should ask] ‘is it a God plan’ ”

Personally, I find the Lord doesn’t give me something to share that I have not learned. So let me share: 

I was one of those who planned out my life years in advance. When I was in high school, I just knew based on my credentials, I would get a full ride to college. With that full ride scholarship, I would go to a good school, and then graduate and go to a top law school for free. In between there, I would have completed legal and political internships and maybe study abroad. 

When I tell you that is exactly what did NOT happen. I did not get the full ride, even though I interviewed. I went to a good college, but not the one I expected early on. I did not get accepted into the internships I applied for. In fact, I only got accepted into one in the entire four years. COVID killed any study abroad plans I had. And post-college, let’s just say that is totally in God’s Hands. 

Initially, there was a lot of disappointment on my end. I had planned my own way, never consulting God and hurt my own feelings as a result. That’s where the feeling of inadequacy and covetousness came in. And ultimately, pride. I didn’t get my way which would have impressed others if I had achieved it. And then if that attitude weren’t enough, I wanted what my neighbor had if it was a goal on that list I made. I would scroll on LinkedIn and just scowl while asking myself how come I didn’t get that internship, study abroad opportunity, or scholarship. Pride and coveting will really make you look foolish and prevent you from being happy for others. In fact, in Song of Solomon 8:6 we see jealousy is likened unto death and like an unrelenting fire:

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,

As a seal upon your arm;

For love is as strong as death,

Jealousy as cruel as the grave;

Its flames are flames of fire,

A most vehement flame.

If we all step back, we sometimes see that our desires are influenced by the World and the proverbial Joneses. We desire things because we want accolades, praise, and stature. Or maybe we want to be the carbon copy of someone else. But we should instead let God be God in our lives and the lives of others. 

Leaning into God for everything, instead of trying to fit into the world system, will prevent us from disappointment, discouragement, and bitterness. Furthermore, it will allow us to want to press into our calling because we are more in tune with God. How many people do you know have fled from Christ or Christ’s call because it was less glamorous and desirable than whatever thing they had planned themselves? 

Fellow saint, it is not your job to control others, situations, or even your own life (see caveat)*. All you can and should do is rely totally on God concerning every decision and plan in your life. If it were your job, there would be absolutely no reason for faith and there would be no reason for God. The reason you feel so overwhelmed with the plans you have made for yourself is you are trying to be a god for yourself or force something that isn’t what God willed. Furthermore, when you covet what someone else has, remember that you are only seeing the end result. You have no idea what they went through to get what you’re seeing. 

Imagine if someone had coveted what Job in the Bible had after he went through his trial. All someone else may have seen was that Job had twice than what he started with. But that person did not see Job on the bed of affliction, Job getting chastised by his friends, Job losing his kids and his wife telling him to blaspheme God, Job being accused of sin, etc. etc. See what I mean? 

Instead of coveting someone else or trying to plan for yourself, just let God do what He does in His awesomeness, in His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. 

With that, let’s pray:

Heavenly Father, help me to move out of Your Way and let you be God in my life. Lord, please reveal to me Your plan and purpose for my life. Help me to lean not on my own understanding and instead to always acknowledge and seek you. Father God, help me to not be disappointed with what You have for me and help me to know the difference between my own plan and Your Plan. Help my heart with what it should desire. Lord, I ask forgiveness for anytime I overstepped, I coveted, or was angry because I did not get my way. Help me with the gift of humility and contentment. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. 

Caveat: we are not saying that you should not  have self control nor are we saying that you should not make any  decisions out of fear of being outside of God’s will. What we are saying is you should always pray about a decision and seek the Lord first. But it is not your job to figure out the next 10 years of your life for the sake of planning.