Daily Devotional, Sept 8, 2023 The Greatest Planner ever

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 6:9

Year after year, lovers of a certain coffee brand collect stickers to avail of a free planner that the coffee shop offers. Some go out of their way to immediately get their hands on the planner by treating friends and frequenting the coffee shop more. I asked one of my friends why she endeavors to get the famous planner every year and she answered that she gets inspired to plan her days because of it.

For “Type-A” people like her, planning is an essential part of existence. People like my friend do not start their days or even weeks or months without having an agenda for the day. Almost every time slot is filled to ensure their productivity. And while this is a good thing, frustration usually sets in when things do not go out as planned.

If you are this type of person, then know that as Christians we are being called to surrender our plans to the Lord. The Book of Proverbs urges us to not hedge our lives on our own knowledge because the Lord is the director of our lives: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

When we get stressed because the plans we have did not materialize, we tend to take it out on ourselves and on other people. And while there is nothing wrong with meticulous planning, we must learn to understand that sometimes things do not turn out the way we planned it for a reason. There is a master planner in this universe and that is certainly not any of us– it is God — so do not take up the world on your shoulders and get all frustrated when things go wrong.

Asking for the Lord’s guidance, committing your plans to Him, asking Him to bless them is the first step you should take in any major undertaking. Psalm 32:8 says “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” 

So how do we go about discerning the Lord’s plan for our lives and our days? And how do we commit our plans to Him? We talk to Him. We pray every single day. Set apart a quiet time with the Lord, where you say everything you wanted to tell Him, including thanksgiving for the blessings you received and forgiveness for the sins you committed. Listen to Him by reading His words every day and intentionally reflect on the readings. Make this a habit, and the Lord will bless your plans. As promised in the Book of Deuteronomy: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Not all of our plans will materialize though, even those that are well thought of and best laid, because we have a God who has predestined and pre-ordained all our days. (Psalm 139:16). He has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11) but He allows us to make choices, but when we make the wrong ones, we begin to veer away from His original plan for us. So as long as we abide in Him (or ask for forgiveness if we veered away), and live His will, we can be confident that everything will work out for good (Romans 8:28-30). Let us trust in that and surrender to the wonderful plan that our Creator has made for us.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on PSALM 139:15-18 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What do you do when your plans do not materialize? How can confidence and trust in God’s plans help you relax and be stress-free?

Conversation with the Lord: Almighty Father, thank you for pre-ordaining my days on earth. Teach me to fully trust and surrender to your good plans for me.