Man without a plan
That's me. The man without a plan. People ask me what I am going to do with my life. I tell them, "heck, I don't even know what I'm going to do tommorow". Direction is needed. Without a plan I just become a product of circumstance it seems. But how do we make plans that are in line with God's plans for ourselves? We wouldn't want to make a future contradictory to what God wants for us. Of course God already knows what were going to do no matter what we do, but that's another story..
I hear people often say that they try not to make too many plans because God will always change them. I don't know what that means. It seems for anything to come out favorably you must have some kind of plan. First you visualize it, then you put it into motion. Right? Isn't that how planning works. We have to have forsight. We as humans have the power to create. The power to make things happen. The power to change the course of events in front of us. Thats a proactive power given to us. But it's a choice that we take. There is a level of personal responsibility we are asked to take. That's were freedom of choice in all situations comes in.
But the reverse would be the reactive person. The person who makes no plans. The person who lets other people's agendas overrule them. The person who is reactant to situations and circumstance (i am sure we all are guilty of this). So their is a level of planning that seems critical and essential. I think without a plan, it is much easier to fall into sin. It is in that idle time that we don't know what to do with ourselves is when we are easiest prey to temptation or just whatever. I'm speaking from personal experience. I have to much idle time. Too much wasted time. Man I am scared to read "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper because I'm afraid he'll have a story about me in there. Man it sucks thinking about it sometimes, because I wish I was making the most of this time here at college, because there won't be another time like this again in life. We are so fortunate to be here. And there are so many opportunities.
I feel like I am missing so much. I want to have a a plan and direction and keep pushing forward. Not looking back in regret.
As Paul quotes in Phillipians "The one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and look forward to the goal that is ahead."
Yea, your thoughts...?
I hear people often say that they try not to make too many plans because God will always change them. I don't know what that means. It seems for anything to come out favorably you must have some kind of plan. First you visualize it, then you put it into motion. Right? Isn't that how planning works. We have to have forsight. We as humans have the power to create. The power to make things happen. The power to change the course of events in front of us. Thats a proactive power given to us. But it's a choice that we take. There is a level of personal responsibility we are asked to take. That's were freedom of choice in all situations comes in.
But the reverse would be the reactive person. The person who makes no plans. The person who lets other people's agendas overrule them. The person who is reactant to situations and circumstance (i am sure we all are guilty of this). So their is a level of planning that seems critical and essential. I think without a plan, it is much easier to fall into sin. It is in that idle time that we don't know what to do with ourselves is when we are easiest prey to temptation or just whatever. I'm speaking from personal experience. I have to much idle time. Too much wasted time. Man I am scared to read "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper because I'm afraid he'll have a story about me in there. Man it sucks thinking about it sometimes, because I wish I was making the most of this time here at college, because there won't be another time like this again in life. We are so fortunate to be here. And there are so many opportunities.
I feel like I am missing so much. I want to have a a plan and direction and keep pushing forward. Not looking back in regret.
As Paul quotes in Phillipians "The one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and look forward to the goal that is ahead."
Yea, your thoughts...?
Dude I know what you're saying...allthough I actually lived most of my life in the opposite state of mind. I had every plan and goal, long and short term, meticulously planned out (I'll reference back to the conversation we had today at Enchanted Rock, and on the drive back about perfectionism and the OCD approach to attempting to control my life that I once was bound by). God pretty much wrecked all of them, and looking back I'm so happy he did.
I think the importiant question here is not about planning. You mentioned correctly that God untimately has control and veto power over any plans made by a Christian, an importiant benifit of being a Christian. This relates pretty well to the subjects of God's irresitable Grace and "Eternal Security" that I talked about on the way to Enchanted Rock yesterday. Man...good conversations and good times, thanks for coming along.
Anyway, like I said it's not a question of planning, it's a question of direction and, perhaps more importiantly, vision. What direction to you see your life moving in...what vision do you have for God's plan in your life. If you're like me, you know that you could definitely use more of both...espeically vision. Vision is so importiant and I think it only comes with a greater knowledge of who God is, and, most importiantly the pursuit of a stronger relashonship with him.
I'll leave you with the lyrics to one of my favorite songs of all time called "Promise" by a good band known as "Pedro the Lion". I really really identify with them right now...they mean alot to me in my present state of...well...living.
"i'll take something to believe
something with long sleeves
cause it's unpredictable
now jesus said he'd fill my needs
but my heart still bleeds
he's just noy physical
now why can't i see
if i look up and the sky's not there
is there any reason that i should be scared
when a promise is a promise i know
now we've established lack of sight
maybe vision's the right word
for what i need
cause i can't see with human eyes
lord knows i've tried
to follow where he leads
from what i've seen so far
i can't believe my eyes
and what a nice suprise"
Posted by
Jordan_Ryan_Stewart |
1:56 AM
Jordan great points man. I needed to hear that and your right about having a vision and direction for my life. That's what I need. I need to have that vision driving my life. Not a make a plan and meet the task mentality. That's simple and a quick fix. I need to know where I am going and be driven by that. Not everyday trying to figure out what I should do with myself because I am bored.
Cool song lyrics too.. i can see how that applys
Posted by
Sean Raybuck |
11:44 AM
I think it is good to have a plan for your life, but I think it is also important to realize that those plans can change suddenly. When it comes to day-to-day boredome, I think it is a matter of living out God's will for our lives, like 1Thes 5:16-18 "Be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." And follow the example of the psalmist, who hid God's word in his heart. Easier said than done, but then again, "all things are possible through Him who gives me strength"
PS-I posted a comment on your sexuality blog
Posted by
Dan Reiter |
11:10 PM
Yea Dan that's totally right.
Plans can EASILY become an idol. I idolized my "perfect" plans for most of my life until God blew them to shreads to show me how much I needed him (and still do).
Posted by
Jordan_Ryan_Stewart |
12:46 AM