Sunday, October 17, 2010

A Lesson in Planning

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2:07 PM
So, this is the week I realized that I am an idiot.

We talked about Lordship this week. We learned what it looks like to give Jesus complete control of our lives. We discussed the world, and Jesus’ heart for the nations. And we were challenged in all areas from worship to work ethic to be diligent to Christ. And then I realized I’m an idiot.

I came DTS with my plans. I would finish training in March and then I would prepare to move to Cambodia. I would work in Cambodia for a year plus, and then I would ask God what to do next. That’s a lot of “I” and “my” in those plans. This week’s teaching forced me to look at my own security in the future.

As weird as it sounds, I’m a planner. I may not plan all that far ahead, but I do plan. In college, I liked knowing what classes I was taking what semester. I prefer the security of knowing what’s next. So, when God called me to missions, I did what I knew to do…plan. I had the ministry, the organization, the country, and the base all lined up. Here’s some verses I recently found that reveals God’s heart towards our plans…

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 [NIV]

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 [NIV]

“We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.” Proverbs 16:33 [NLT]

I thought that this DTS was my stepping stone to that future. But since being here, I’ve discovered its not a stepping stone…it’s a launching pad. The spiritual principles/skills I’m learning here are redefining my relationship with God. And it hurts a little!

Now I’m not saying that God didn’t call me to Cambodia or to fight against human trafficking. Because that burden is definitely still on my heart. This week just opened my eyes to the fact that if Jesus is truly Lord of my life, then all those dreams, burdens, and passions I have to give back to Him. And then wait upon His timing and His planning for them to come to pass. And maybe it will be like I’ve planned. But maybe it will be something greater than I could ever imagine.

About the author

Joy Muldoon is a full-time missionary and part-time blogger. Read about her travels, adventures, and missions here!

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