“For I know the plans I have for you. . . plans to give you hope and a future” Jer. 29:11, NIV
He is the Master
We all have plans for the future and daily tasks, but in prayer, we often ask for God’s blessing on our plans instead of asking for His plans. God assures us, “I know the plans I have for you” (Jer. 29:11, NIV). To receive His guidance, we need to follow His plan.
In prayer, we sometimes act like we are in charge, telling God what to do. But He is in charge. Each day, we should surrender our plans to Him and ask for His direction. This is in line with the Lord’s prayer: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Just like angels serve God without question, we should be ready to listen and follow His instructions.
One day during an eleven-hour drive, my wife and I prayed for chances to serve others. Suddenly, a pastor friend called us. He needed a ride to the airport, and we happened to be right by his exit. We picked him up, and he made his flight to Cuba.
When we try to do things on our own, we miss out on the bigger picture. God knows our future and loves us. He knows what’s best for us, and we should let Him guide our paths. To know His will, we must listen in prayer. We need to have our own experiences of hearing Him speak to our hearts in silence.
Prayer and studying the Bible go together. We can share our needs with God, but we must also allow Him to help us. He respects our freedom to choose and waits for us to ask for His guidance.
Make God’s plans your main focus. Seek Him first, trust that He will meet your needs (Matt. 6:33), and be ready to serve. Say, “Here I am, Lord. Use me today.”
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