Thinking Ahead

"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.' 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."
~James 4:13-14


For me to say, "I'm going to do this tomorrow" DIMINISHES the power that is fully God's, not mine. I can't see the future--not even a tiny bit (not a few hours, days, weeks...even a SECOND ahead)--but so often I talk and act like I can! 
It doesn't stop here, though...ohhhh, get ready! :)


"Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." 
~James 4:15-17

It's being stressed here that instead of plotting out plans for the future, think about what lies ahead with one particular thought overriding everything else--"If it's the LORD'S will!"

I realized as I was reading over this part of the passage that I'm much more prone to saying, "If it's Your will, God" when I'm talking/praying about something seemingly far off, like praying for a husband to love, care for/be cared by, respect, and serve with or kids to love, instruct, and nurture one day. I hardly ever talk about either one of those without first clarifying, "If it's YOUR will, Lord, these things will happen."
I'm quick to say that I know these events are in the future, but other things occurring in my immediate future (like the next hour, day, week, month) I am much more likely to simply state matter-of-factly what will or will not be done at different times...


...even though, really, I still have NO way of knowing if I'll even be alive to do any of it! 


SUCH a wake-up call here! It's arrogant (and pride is a sin, so it's EVIL~vs. 16), to say/think that I know enough about my life to say for sure what will happen next, how it will happen, etc.! It doesn't matter if I'm dealing with the immediate or seemingly distant, my Heavenly Father is the Storyteller of my life and the ONLY ONE Who knows and sees everything that will play out for the rest of my days! I am a mist...let me not be quick to forget, especially in the hustle and bustle of routine.


Application-wise, I'm going to specifically be praying for the Holy Spirit's complete help in moving my mindset from an attitude of "I will" to "If the LORD wills, I will." 
"If the Lord" first;
"I" second.
"If the Lord...THEN, I."


I'm not about to tell you I think I've got this all figured out and the road ahead of me with this new mindset is going to be a piece of cake...not a chance of that! What I CAN say is that as I begin consistently trusting the Lord verbally/mentally/spiritually to show up in all kinds of different ways using this mindset, my faith will RADICALLY grow, stretching to depths and heights I've not even dared DREAM about! How do I know? I'm trusting in the God Whose Hands hold the stars I'm looking at outside of my window right now...the One Who is near when I call...Who is with me even now...Who promises THIS:

“Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”
Habakkuk 1:5 

Ladies and gentlemen of faith, start your engines...surrendering the future is just the beginning. Just watch what He will do.