"the reality is you have no idea"

I came across this passage today during church,

"Listen carefully, those of you who make your plans and say, "We are traveling to this city in the next few days. We'll stay there for one year while our business explodes and revenue is up." The reality is you have no idea where your life will take you tomorrow. You are like a mist that appears one moment and then vanishes another. It would be best to say, "If it is the Lord's will and we live long enough, we hope to do this project or pursue that dream." But your current speech indicates an arrogance that does not acknowledge the One who controls the universe, and this kind of big talking is the epitome of evil. So if you know the right way to live and ignore it, it is sin- plain and simple."
                               ~ James 4:13-17 The Voice ~

Does that hit anyone the way it hits me? The rebel in me just loves this because the world we live in strives for plans. It tells us we need to make 5 year, 10 year, 20 year, 50 year plans. We need to always know where we are going. We need to know what our dreams are so that we can pursue them. "The American dream" is the pursuit of so many Americans. So the rebellious part of me just loves that here in God's word we read... hold on just a second... not so fast... we can't center our lives around this stuff!

I'm serious though, how often do we make our plans and not look to God at all. OK, so I can't speak for everyone, but I can speak for myself. This is something I've been working on... depending on the will of God above my own. It isn't always easy, in fact sometimes it's really hard. It's challenging enough to figure out what I want... then I have to make sure it fits with what Blake wants... but hold up... now I have to add in what God wants too! I can't assume that I will make my desires happen, and that doesn't come natural to me! I want to believe that I can make anything happen if I want it bad enough.

But that's not the truth! The truth is that God's will should be placed higher than my own will. I should seek His will first. I should seek His will above my own plans. I shouldn't depend on my plans.

I also shouldn't put things off.

I shouldn't say, "Oh, when this happens THEN I'll serve God is such and such way".... or "Well when I have a normal schedule, then I'll do my bible studies". Nope. I need to do those things the Lord calls me to do. I'm like mist-- only here for a moment. I've got no idea how much more time I've got.

No, I don't want to be bound to my plans.

I want to be bound to God's plans! Those things He calls me to do are so much better than anything I could plan or dream up myself!

So I will continue to pray for His will to be revealed to me.

I just loved this passage so much. I've read it several times before, but it just had so much power this morning as I read it. Through this passage, I even believe God spoke to me.... helping me.

It's so incredible to feel God's presence as you read His word! I just love it! Glory be to God!