Do you need God to approve your plans?
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"Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (Proverbs 19:21).
This article is about debunking the idea that Christians need to wait on a "sense of peace" before making big decisions, replacing that myth with three biblical truths that can grow our confidence to make tough choices. Last time, we saw the first truth, that God rarely gives us all the information we want before making a decision. The second, which we're focusing on now is: God doesn't need us to make any specific decision.
If you're reading these devotionals, it's because you care deeply about doing your most exceptional work for the glory of God and the good of others. That is your overriding passion at work, and that of course is a wonderful thing! But that burning desire can easily lead to over-analyzing certain decisions, which ironically holds us back from participating in the work God is up to in the world.
I know I have struggled with this before: What if this partnership isn't God's will for my business? What if I make the wrong choice in this hire? What if we picked the wrong marketing campaign?
Here's what I'm learning: So long as our decisions are not out of line with God's Word, I don't know that God particularly cares about the specific decisions we make. I think He cares deeply about what's going on in our hearts as we make our decisions, but not the decisions themselves. Why? Because no matter which decisions you and I make, the Lord's purposes will prevail (see Proverbs 19:21).
God doesn't need you to take that specific job.
He doesn't need you to launch that specific product.
He doesn't need you to send your kids to that specific school.
Regardless of what we choose, His purposes will prevail.
If I die tomorrow and God wants these devotionals to carry on, He will find someone else to do it. That may sound depressing to you, but to me, it sounds liberating!
This truth means that when we are faced with big decisions in our work and lives, we have the freedom to choose. Of course, we should take time to wisely evaluate important decisions, but at some point, we just have to make a choice, even if we don't "feel a peace" about the decision.
Recognizing the biblical truth that God doesn't need you or me to make any specific decision helps us do that. Next time, we'll look at one final biblical truth that can grow your confidence as you seek to make wise decisions at work and at home.
 | Jordan Raynor helps Christians respond to the radical, biblical truth that their work matters for eternity. He does this through his bestselling books (The Creator in You, Redeeming Your Time, Master of One, and Called to Create), podcast (The Call to Mastery), and weekly devotional (The Word Before Work)—content that has served millions of Christ-followers in every country on earth. A sixth-generation Floridian, Jordan lives in Tampa with his wife and their three young daughters. Learn More » |
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