Jesus warned us against worrying about the future. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:34) Corrie ten Boom wrote, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” Pastor Ben Stewart’s God at the Movies sermon gave us this good advice from the movie Creed: “One step; one punch; one round at a time.” Those types of admonitions have led many of us to live one day or even one step at a time with little thought at all about the future. Not worrying about the future is only half of the story.
The enemy loves to echo Woody Allen’s statement, “If you want to make God laugh, show him your plans.” In my more than six decades of walking with the Lord, I have encountered His sense of humor on more than one occasion, but He always laughs with me and never at me. When I try to plan on my own without His help, He shows me how ridiculous my plan is and we both have a good laugh before getting to work together on a real plan.
Yes, God encourages us to plan for the future, with His help. “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity.” (Proverbs 21:5) “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11) “Commit your actions to the lord, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3) “We can make our plans, but the lord determines our steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” (Proverbs 19:21) These are only a few of the many passages that lead us into taking a look into our future with the Holy Spirit showing us what to look for and how to plan for it. It is only with His help that we can do so without worry. Worry free planning is His specialty. “But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever, His intentions can never be shaken.” (Psalms 33:11)
Planning is necessary. Lewis Carroll wrote, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Taking a long look at our future with the Holy Spirit as our guide, we discover the goals God has set for us and the glory of our final destination. Only one road will get us there and Jesus is the way. With Him we can live in the present while planning and hoping for the future without fear or worry.
By the way, planning for the future is much simpler when you have turned 74.