Proverbs 16:1-4 (ESV) 1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.[a] 3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. 4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
I am currently, as I am writing this, a bi-vocational pastor. I’m “part time” in my ministry currently (I laugh at this statement every time I say it) and have a full-time secular job. My current title is a “Scrum Master.” No, I’m not talking about the sport of rugby and yes this is a real title.
My job is to be a project manager of sorts for several software development teams. Every day I have to wrangle the cats so to speak to tackle what it is we need to do for the next 24 hours to meet our goals for our customers. We review what we accomplished in the past 24 hours, where we stand on our timelines, and then what are going to do for the next 24 hours. We cement that into a “daily plan.” We do this every single day. Day in and day out.
Things work smoothly 99% of the time. God has gifted and blessed me with the ability to plan for things and lead people in such a way! That is why I find it so utterly ironic and hilarious that my wonderful wife does not always trust me to think through anything for our family plans.
Let me tell you all as you read this, in the past 16 years of marriage to this amazing woman, any planned out events or vacations or projects I head up solo tend not to go smoothly very often. Why? Why is it that I am gifted and able to do so well in my secular job but flop harder than the Chicago Cubs in the playoffs most years? (Cubs fan since the 90s by the way) It is because of focus.
In the above Scripture what stands out hugely to me is the 3rd verse. When you commit your work to God, your plans will be established. When you FOCUS on God, when you commit to GOD, when you seek GOD, when the reward is GOD!
He has already assuredly written everything into being. No arguments there. This Scripture is yet another great example of that. What is most profound here is that when we lose focus on the goal, our plans crumble. Thinking back to my dilemma of why I can plan so well in one aspect but fail utterly in the other? It is a lack of focus.
In the business world I am so focused on the GOAL. The end result! The thing we are building…not always the why we are building it. In that world, things can work out well with that kind of focus when you have others around you to help fill in the gaps. Yet, when we switch gears to my family…it cannot be about the goal of what we are trying to do…but why we are trying to do it and how to prepare appropriately to get there.
It is both convicting and humbling for me as a husband, father, and believer in Christ. When I look at my spiritual goals and battles, if I lose focus on GOD instead of what I am trying to accomplish, it is for nothing. My plans fall apart. They lose all of their power.
Yet when the focus is on pleasing God in all that I do, even when things are bumpy, they work out for His Glory. As that should be our ultimate plan in everything we do. So my challenge for you brothers and sisters is this.
In your life plans, don’t lose sight on what really matters. When you do, your plans will fail. You may get to your destination or hit your goal, but you miss out on something so much better. Further, when life begins to take a nosedive and not according to your plans, remember His plans are superior. You aren’t ruining or ending His plan for your life. My dear friend you possess no power so great as to derail the resplendence of God.
Do not lose focus...and do not lose heart.
SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!
