James 4:13-15

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

As we step into the new year of two thousand eleven, we gaze ahead. For me and my family, we look toward the remainder of the school year and then into our summer: vacations, camps, activities, and so forth. Do we seek the Lord’s will when making these plans? Do we pray for wisdom when deciding what to do or where to go? I typically reserve asking God for wisdom on weighty decisions like career, spouse, children, and educational choices. However, this verse (and Proverbs 19:21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand) remind us that we should seek the Lord’s will for all our plans, not just the hefty ones. Are they godly? Will they bring Him glory? When our plans become altered, do we adjust and accept the changes? These questions and verses offer me much to ponder, and pray for, this coming year.