21 There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21 NKJV)

I think back on all of the plans I have made over the years, all the anxiety, all the effort I put in and how many of them just came to nothing. Those times that did not come to fruition were so frustrating! Even ministry plans that fell among the thorns and were choked out, or on the path and sprang up only to die in the hot sun of life in short order. I look back now and understand that while they were my plans they did not transpire because they were not God’s plans.

The idea of our scripture that I take a lot of comfort in is that “Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel – that will stand.

The best counsel we can take is to begin our plans by first consulting God. Any plan should be bathed in prayer and tested against scripture. Far too often we simply go headfirst into planning our plans without really consulting God at all. The world will fill our heads with many ideas, and it is not a bad thing necessarily. However, when we begin by humbly coming before God and asking Him to have the Spirit guide us we can at least move forward in success or failure relying upon God to lead.

Reflect on: How your plans have succeeded or failed throughout life and if you even considered God in them.