Planning with PURPOSE

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21 (New International Version)

Oh, my goodness, how often have I set my plans to paper.  I have written out 3-year, 5-year and 10-year plans.  I have clearly identified who I would be with, what I would be doing, where I would live, how much or how little money I would earn in my life and more.  I have spent countless hours daydreaming about my future and defining every detail for my life and all that it could hold.  Oh, my goodness, how often have I planned to live my life with my one true love only to see this grandiose idea fade before my eyes. 

Alternatively, how often have I set my sights on specific education and career goals; methodically strategized and step into action all those plans, and they have ended in success.

I know you are like me.  I know you have done exactly what I have done.  So, you may be asking the same question that I have asked myself a million times – “what makes one set of plans work over other sets of plans?”  Two words – God’s purpose!

You may be saying, “Okay. Okay, it cannot be so simple”.  You may be saying to yourself, “well, God wants me to have the best.  The best life including the best career, the best church fellowship, the best family, the best spouse, the best house, the best friends, the best of everything”.  But what God wants for you is much more – your accessibility to allow His purpose for your life. 

Plans are interesting things.  They are extremely important.  You wouldn’t pursue any real objective without a plan in place.  Architects and contractors, for example, make plans before embarking to build or rehabilitate a home or building.  There is no way they can “figure it out as they go along”.

When I travel, I plan out my packing list, what clothes and shoes I will pack, what connectivity I will have, or whether to bring along my passport or my ID.  The fact is plans are necessary but truthfully plans can only take us so far.

After reading the scripture: Many of the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails, admittedly the first part felt dismissive. As if God was mocking me to go ahead and make those plans that were important to me. Additionally, it reminded me of how the Bible describes my heart as “deceitful and wicked”.  You and I do not want to be reminded that our heart’s desires and plans for ourselves may be deceitful or evil.  But sadly, due to our sin nature, it is.  Those plans, no matter how wonderful or lofty, are very often laced with selfishness or greed, or some other less than noble characteristic.  However, take time to read and interpret the second part of the verse which is far more promising – but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.  How promising is that?  There is an absoluteness in His assurance that my plans, if in alignment with His purpose will succeed.  There’s a freedom in knowing that when I plan my life with God, the result is far more encouraging and ultimately successful.

The way I see it plans are preparation.  Plans are my way of demonstrating stewardship or management of all I have in my possession.  It’s fun to discuss and brainstorm with friends about new adventures, business ventures and love opportunities but in the end, plans take us right up to the starting line.  They do not get us moving.  That is where purpose comes in. 

There are movies I need to do in order that I get to do the projects I want to do. There is a difference.  I must be prepared to do what I have to do.

Denzel Washington, Oscar-winning Actor, Director and Producer

I recall as a child planning my Saturday afternoons to be spent at the park with my friends.  However, there were things I had to accomplish first.  I planned to wake up early.  Make my bed, wash my teeth, dress, have breakfast.  Afterwards, complete my chores and homework.  My overly ambitious spirit planned out my mornings to the minute and accounted for contingencies.  Of course, I prayed nothing would go wrong.  But sometimes it did.  Sometimes I had to help my sister out with her share of homework or household tasks.  

Purpose is a driving force.  It motivated me forward to complete all I planned regardless of what went right or wrong.  No matter what, I wanted to get to the park and play with my friends.  Purpose says, here is the direction I am going to take no matter what roadblocks come up, no matter what detours appear; purpose fueled my determination to keep in the direction of getting to the park.  And it still does!

The problem is for many of us, we become obstinate in our plans and then insert God in the process by audaciously expecting Him to follow our ideas of how things should work.  This stubbornness does not allow for our surrender to follow the direction God wants to take us.

The great actor, director, and producer, Denzel Washington is best known for his roles as Malcolm X, star of The Equalizer 1 and 2, The Book of Eli, and Training Day for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor.  But it is the passion projects which move him – Fences, Antwone Fisher and The Great Debaters.  In an interview, Washington was asked what genre of film most intrigued him to be in as actor, director, or producer.  Without hesitation, he masterfully replied, he was grateful for the opportunity to work.  He shared that each role he played was motivated by his desire to express the message of the roles he played.  Yet, he was acutely aware there were some films that will garner much more attention over others because of studio backing or perhaps the chance to work with certain actors/actresses.  It is in those cases that he recognized if he wanted to have distribution support, studio support or work with certain actors, consequently, he would have to act in particular films which would, therefore, provide the resources he needed to fulfill the movie projects near and dear to his heart. 

You have hopes.  You have big dreams.  You have wonderful ideas for life and family.  Surrender those ideas and plans to your Heavenly Father, who wants big dreams for you too!  Would it not be a greater triumph to receive exactly what you planned for knowing you had the assurance that it was already in place waiting for you to ask for it?  Get in step with God’s purpose in your life.  Plans are just the beginning; Purpose motivates.  And when you are obedient to God’s purpose, there is no telling how far you will go.

….now what, Linda?