¹⁴How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. ¹⁵What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

James 4:14-16

Perhaps you have someone in your life, like I did in mine, who responded to any planning with the tried and true phrase, “Well, if it’s the Lord’s will…” or “Lord willing, we will…” And my eyes rolled believing that planning a shopping trip would surely be within the Lord’s will for the next day. But there is something to learn in this woman’s dependence on the Lord.

This week I have taken the opportunity to highlight the wisdom of holding our plans lightly, knowing that ultimately, planning is up to the Lord. He is the who sees the end from the beginning and knows if the plans we make will come to fruition. I am acutely aware of how quickly plans change and the disappointment that accompanies those changes. It seems the opportunity to flex has been my constant companion these days.

So, my daily prayer is acknowleding that this is the day the Lord has made and then praying Jeremiah’s prayer from his writing:

²³I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course. ²⁴So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle.

Jeremiah 10:23-24

Especially the last words, but please be gentle! May these words be the hope you need in the changes you experience today!