James 4:13-17

Passage

Pay attention now, the ones who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel into such and such a city and spend a year there and we will go into business and make a profit.”  Yet you all do not possess the information about the things of tomorrow: your life.  For you all are a quickly vanishing steam that is seen for only a little time, then after disappearing.  Rather you should say, “If the Lord should desire and we live, then we will do this or that.”  But now, you all boast in your arrogance.  All boasting such as this is evil.  Therefore, while having known to do good and after not doing it, it is evil to him.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Now James shifts to talk about our human ability to make plans.  Before I go too far here, let me stop and draw a distinction between dreaming and setting up plans.  God has made us to be creative people.  He wants us to dream.  God wants us to think ahead embrace a vision.  However, God also desires that when we dream we also check our alignment to Him.  There is nothing wrong with having dreams so long as we remember to only pursue the dreams that are in line with where He is calling.

What dreams do you have in life?  Which of those dreams are aspects of your life that God is leading you towards?  How do you determine the direction towards which God is calling you?

Second Thought:

James tells us rather bluntly that we know very little – especially about the future.  We may know what we would like to see happen, but we truthfully do not know that it will happen.  Quite often, we go through life as though we believe we know the future.  We don’t.  We need to stop living as though we do know the future.  In truth, this also comes back to humbleness and submission.  I am far more likely to submit to a God when I live as though I don’t know what will happen and He does know.  I am far more likely to submit when I confess that only He knows the true path for my life.

What dreams have you had in life that didn’t come true?  How many dreams have come true compared to those that didn’t come true?  What does this tell you about your ability to know the future?  Given that you are where you are, what does this tell you about God’s ability to maneuver you through your dreams?

Third Thought:

James tells us that when we know what to do and we do not do it we are sinning.  Of course we know this to be true.  However, we don’t often think of it with respect to this idea of planning for the future.  We know we are to be humble and submit our life to His will.  But instead we make our own plans; we head out in our own direction.  Rather than acknowledge that it is the Lord who gives us life and direction we live as though we try to do it all for ourselves.

Where do you live more of your life: in your own provision or under God’s provision for you?

Passage for Tomorrow: James 5:1-6