Plans?

 Proverbs 16:1-4 NLT

We can make our own plans,

but the Lord gives the right answer.

2 

People may be pure in their own eyes,

but the Lord examines their motives.

3 

Commit your actions to the Lord,

and your plans will succeed.

4 

The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,

even the wicked for a day of disaster.

We can make our own plans,

but the Lord gives the right answer. 

We can make our own plans, but the will of the Lord, will be done. That's why it is so important to pray on a daily basis, that the Lord's will be done in your life. And that I pray that His will is done in my life. Because what I can see, hear, and even what I feel, may be wrong. But the Lord is never wrong. I try to remember to pray for every decision. Especially those that will affect my future. And I say "I try to remember" because I don't always. And the fact of the matter is, if I'm honest, sometimes I do want my will to be done. And that usually turns out to be a learning experience. Ha ha ha. 

Have you ever gotten to a particular place or situation, and you cry out to the Lord, and say, "Lord, how could You let this happen?" The answer I've gotten in those particular situation was, "I didn't tell you to go over there!" Or, "I didn't tell you to do that!" And it's at that point I have to stop, and put the blame where it really belongs, on me.

People may be pure in their own eyes,

but the Lord examines their motives.

What can make things so difficult is, everybody believes their own heart. They believe what they're doing is right, even when it's clearly not. It can be frustrating for those watching bad things happen to people they love because of choices they made. And they're floundering around trying to find somebody to blame, when the one to blame, is looking back at them in the mirror. And even when folks realize that what they are doing is wrong, they will make excuses to justify it, maybe based on things that happened to them in the past. Well, I know that all too well, because I did that. When I was being molested as a kid, I didn't realize what was really going on. The grooming, along with drugs and pornography, worked. And then once I did, and it stopped, I was one of the angriest people you could ever encounter. I hated everyone, chief of all, me. So I understand that blame game. And I could continue to play it. But there comes a point when you have to take responsibility for your own decisions, your own choices. Because you're the one that's gonna have to live with the results. 

Commit your actions to the Lord,

and your plans will succeed.

Commit, 100% of all that you do, to the Lord. If you're sweeping floors and cleaning toilets, dedicate it to the Lord. Trust in the Lord, well, let's read that scripture.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

6 

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.

The reason it's imperative to trust in the Lord, with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, or do not depend on your own understanding, is, because sometimes you're not gonna understand certain things. You're not going to understand why things happen the way they do. Why people act the way they do. What we have to understand is, everybody has free will. And only they can decide for themselves what they're gonna do. And they are responsible for the results. They're responsible for their own choices. You're responsible for yours. I'm responsible for mine. And when you commit everything to the Lord, he will tell you which way to go. And if you ask Him to, what to do in certain situations. And that leads nicely right into the next scripture.

The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,

even the wicked for a day of disaster.

No matter what things look like, no matter what you see, here, or even feel. God is in control. He knows what's happening, and why it's happening. Sometimes we will find ourselves praying against things, that are in fact, God's will. And you might even throw your hands up and say, "How can this be God's will?" Because it has a purpose. And you don't know that purpose just yet. In this walk with the Lord, that's one of the hardest things, one of the most difficult to be OK with. Now we can absolutely positively pray with all our hearts against the works of the devil. We can pray against those demonic spirits that are moving people to do things. But we can't pray against peoples free will, those demons will lead them, and they have a choice to make. Furthermore, we cannot pray against God's will. Because God's will, will be done. Even though bad things happen from time to time, I believe with all my heart, 

Romans 8:28 NLT

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

No, it was not God's will what happened to me as a kid. But that person's free will was carried out. He did what he did. And what happened happened. But, it has allowed me to give comfort and to encourage folks who had similar things happen to them. For those folks, I can say, "I know how you feel." And I do. The only way to reach healing in situations like that, is to forgive. And that's a whole other message. A good one for the near future. 

God wants the very best for you and for me. And for your loved ones too. But each of us must submit to God's will for our lives. And yes, that means receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord, and serving the Lord with all your heart. Amen? Have a great day, and God bless. James