Devo James 4

James 4:11-17
11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother
or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you
are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver
and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge
your neighbor? 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this
or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you
do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist
that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it
is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast and brag.
All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do
and doesn’t do it, sins.

Meditation:
1. Setting goals and making plans can be good. The temptation, however, when
we plan is to think that we are in control of our lives and our future, which
pushes God away from our lives. And when God is not at the centre of our
planning, we will find that we are not participating in His story—the things
that he is doing in this world. Our lives and the future are in God’s hands.
We need to come humbly to God and carefully seek God’s will for our lives.
2. What plans do I have for tomorrow, this year or next ten years? Am I willing
to submit all of them to God so that I can be involved in his work for his glory
and honour? Am I willing to hold loosely to my own plans, and to take risky
steps of faith to follow what God has in store for me? Only when I choose to
allow God to direct my path, will I be able to live the best life, the one God
has in store for me.

Personal Note:
When I think that I can control my life, I become insecure and burdened.  When I am convicted that God loves me and desires me to follow His plans in my life, I become secure and free.  I have some big plans for the near future (Getting married YAY, growing PGC English into a vibrant and healthy group with young adults and teens reaching out to the community and abroad with love and service).  I am willing to submit my plans to God.  I am willing to be used by Him for His glory and honour.  The plans I have I am willing to hold with an open hand, and I am willing take risky steps of faith to follow what God has in store for me.

Let's pray then plan, and submit the plans to God, and trust that walking and living in accordance to your Words will lead to the best life.