Many plans are in a man’s mind, But it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).

Proverbs 19:21

When we’re young we plan to take the world by storm. When we’re in our middle years, we wonder how we got where we are, and we plan to take it easy one day. When we’re older, we plan to leave a legacy. Many of us spend our lives making great and glorious plans, but only a few focus on what’s really important. To do that, we need a consultant, we need the “Lord’s counsel.”

One of the marks of maturity at any age is the ability to see through the urgent to discern what’s really important. In our younger years, it seems that everything is urgent. We rush from one goal to another, seldom enjoying life along the way. Sooner or later, we learn that we shouldn’t trust ourselves or some of our friends. We need a higher authority, and we turn to God for direction. We search the Scriptures and find that some of the things that seemed so important aren’t, and some that seemed trivial are vital in God’s view. Money, prestige, power, and possessions are measuring sticks of our culture, but God shakes His head at our compulsive pursuit of these things. They aren’t wrong, they just aren’t central.

First things first. If we discover God’s purposes and pursue the, with our whole hearts, our plans will follow His leading. And in the end, our plans and the positive impact of a life lived for Him- will stand.

Zig Ziglar

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.

Corrie Ten Boom

Course corrections are an important but normal part of life. We have developed all kinds of devices to help us reach our destination. The GPS system helps us plan our route. Most of the newer cars have change lane auto corrects. Many of them provide assisted driving by keeping the vehicle in between the lines. We have consultants to help us plan our financial future or consultants to help us plan our career. And each time we use a device or a consultant, we more than likely will find ourselves making a course correction.

All of these adjustments are important, but the most important course correction is the one that affects our eternal future. Someone has said that life can be a puzzle but we have the master puzzle-solver at our side- Christ Jesus. Most of us over the course of our lives find that we frequently need a correction. We make plans many times with partial or faulty information and as we pursue those plans we discover that they aren’t taking us where we planned to be in life. At that point we need to stop and ask ourselves whether or not we are where we want or need to be. If not, perhaps we ought to consider a course correction. I don’t think that many of us would be driving south to arrive in New York, at least if we live in Virginia. The very idea of doing that would be ludicrous. Yet far too many continue down the path toward eternity headed the wrong direction. The beautiful thing about God is that He allows U-turns. You may be heading the wrong way, a total 180* from where you want to go. Make a U-turn. Many times we aren’t headed the total opposite direction. We’re just veering off the road and we need a course correction. If that’s your condition, make a change before you end up in the ditch! It doesn’t have to be an abrupt, drastic change always. As a matter of fact if you will choose to consistently make gradual corrections, you will find the ride smooth and pleasant. It’s when we vere too far that we have to make abrupt, and often painful corrections.

Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. I’ve added that insanity is continuing to go the same direction and expecting to arrive at a different place.

Change is inevitable and change is necessary. What to change and when to change are difficult decisions and we need a counselor who has the wisdom for both. Whenever we face change it it wise to consult with God who knows the end from the beginning. He makes no projections or guesses. When we consult Him for direction and plans, we find that whatever He gives will always bring us to where we need and want to be. He has never led anyone astray and those who choose to follow Him never get lost or wind up in the wrong place. Perhaps it would be wise to let the GPS(God’s Perfect Spirit) to plan our lives.

When I was a young man, my friends and I used to say that as long as we had gas in the tank we weren’t lost. I suppose we meant that if we had enough fuel, we could wander around until we figured out where we were. And I suppose there are those who would say as long as they have breath, they have time to figure out life. The problem is that life like the gas in the tank can run out before we have time to figure out where we are and how to get home. Maybe a better plan is to seek directions and if a course correction is necessary, not to be stubborn or set in our way so much that we won’t change; we simply follow the directions and the plan that God lays out before us.

Today is a good time to make the necessary course correction(s).

Dr. John Thompson