“Planning Our Future” By Caleb Smith, Pastor of River Point Rabun
L
ooking back over the last two years, I have continually been reminded that God plans our days, not us. After
more, my wife and I decided that it wasn’t in the cards for us to have any more children. God had given us two wonderful children but during that process we had also lost three. Although we don’t always know or understand God’s plan, we were comforted in knowing that He had a plan for us, even if it looked different than our plans. When our Son was nine and our daughter was four we felt God leading us to be a safe haven for children in Foster Care and provide a loving home for children who needed it. We had no idea that three years later we would walk through the adoption process and God would give us another son for us to love and call our own. On August 31, 2018 God gave us our son, Jase. Just a few months later God would bring another “new” into our lives. At that point I had been in ministry for almost 15 years, and I had served in about every position in the church that a pastor could. I had primarily done youth ministry but I had also been a Worship Pastor, a Children’s Pastor, and an Associate Pastor. I had no clue that not only would the next step God had for me be as a Lead Pastor but also a Lead Pastor of a brand new church in a brand new area I wasn’t familiar with. Georgia to lead River Point Rabun church and it has been such a blessing for us. As we have looked back at what God has brought us through and how our plans didn’t always line up with what His plans heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” We can make our plans, and we should make plans, but we should also keep in mind that while our plans may look good to us, God’s plans are always better. time in our nation, a time that has us unsure about what the future holds, here are a couple of questions we should ask ourselves to make sure we are trying to stay in line with God’s plans as we plan for our futures: Have I prayed about the plans I am making for myself or my family?
44 GML - September 2020
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Praying for God’s guidance will help us to plan our ways according to His will but it will also help us to have peace when the plans may change and go differently than we expected. What are my motives? gain, it is neither glorifying to God nor what is best for us. Our There is nothing inherently in me that is good. Anything good motivations to be what’s best for me and what lines us with God’s will. His will is always better because it results in His glory, not our own. How will my plans glorify God? This last question can make your future planning a lot easier. If anything you are planning for doesn’t glorify God then you shouldn’t do it. I understand that you could ask all three of these questions and have an answer for all of them that gives you peace to go ahead with the plans you are making and even then those plans could fall apart. I have had those times happen in my life. It has been in those times though, that I have learned the most about God and have grown the most. Placing our faith in Christ as the Lord of our lives means that we are also trusting Him in every situation that we face and go through. Trusting that even if it is hard, He will never leave me nor forsake me. Even if it hurts, He will comfort me. Even if it doesn’t make sense, His word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. The time that we are all going through right now may leave some people feeling hopeless, scared, and uncertain about their future. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all of our cares upon Him, because he cares for us. He cared so much for us that he sent his only son to die on a cross for us to have a relationship with him through Christ Jesus. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? Is He the Lord of your life? Planning our future is a lot easier with him as our guide.
