If the Lord Wills
If the Lord Wills
Wednesday
"And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. But on taking leave of them he said, 'I will return to you if God wills,' and he set sail from Ephesus."
— Acts 18:19-21 (ESV)
"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'"
— James 4:13-15 (ESV)
"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."
— Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)
— Acts 18:19-21 (ESV)
"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'"
— James 4:13-15 (ESV)
"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."
— Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)
Reflect:
The Ephesians wanted the apostle to stay, and he clearly cared for them. Yet he declined, promising to return "if God wills." That short phrase reveals a life fully surrendered to God's direction. Planning is not wrong; Scripture never tells us to stop making plans. The danger comes when we hold our plans so tightly that we forget who holds our tomorrows. Life is a mist, here briefly and then gone. A heart that says "if the Lord wills" is not passive or fearful. It is confident that God's plans are better than ours. When our schedules are interrupted or our hopes are delayed, we can rest knowing that the Lord is establishing our steps, and that Jesus walks every one of them with us.
The Ephesians wanted the apostle to stay, and he clearly cared for them. Yet he declined, promising to return "if God wills." That short phrase reveals a life fully surrendered to God's direction. Planning is not wrong; Scripture never tells us to stop making plans. The danger comes when we hold our plans so tightly that we forget who holds our tomorrows. Life is a mist, here briefly and then gone. A heart that says "if the Lord wills" is not passive or fearful. It is confident that God's plans are better than ours. When our schedules are interrupted or our hopes are delayed, we can rest knowing that the Lord is establishing our steps, and that Jesus walks every one of them with us.
Pray:
Lord, I surrender my plans to You today. Establish my steps, and give me peace when Your will is different from mine. Amen.
Lord, I surrender my plans to You today. Establish my steps, and give me peace when Your will is different from mine. Amen.
Take A Step:
Write down one plan you're anxious about and pray over it, adding the words "if the Lord wills."
Write down one plan you're anxious about and pray over it, adding the words "if the Lord wills."
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