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27th February 2024
"TuesdayReflection"
"Joel Ryan asks"
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What Does it Mean 'Many Are the Plans of a Person's Heart'?
Outside of God's good and perfect plan, however, even the best plans of man can end in disappointment and even defeat.
It's when we hold to God's promises found in Scripture, we remember that God's plans are always greater than our own.
Many plans are in a person's heart, but the advice of the Lord will stand
Proverbs 19:21.
Having something to aspire to and work towards is often what gives people purpose, motivation, and a reason to get up in the morning.
Without goals, whether big or small, people can quickly stagnate and decline, losing a sense of purpose and even hope in life.
Of course, a goal can be as simple as wanting to finish a good book, learn a new skill, or go for a walk every morning.
For Christians, goals can include trying to spend a few minutes reading the Bible in the morning, getting involved more in their local church, or memorising more Scripture.
Even something as mundane as getting dressed to go to work or making breakfast gives us a reason to get up and get moving.
And while human examples are always flawed and never perfect, God has given us the ultimate example to learn from and follow in Jesus.
Likewise, many of God's followers throughout Scripture set their minds on the things of God, pursuing both long-term and short-term goals in their own lives.
For example, the Apostle Paul longed to visit fellow believers and local churches in person even though he was often prevented or incapable of traveling due to imprisonment or the demands of his ministry.
And looking to eternity, Paul determined,
"I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ"
Philippians 3:8.
Many of the goals and dreams we have, as well as the plans we have developed to achieve them, are God-inspired, God-honouring, and God-oriented.
In fact, Jesus told His followers that "where the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly".
That is God's desire for our lives, something He often accomplishes through our goals and dreams.
Understanding the relationship, we share with God as children to a loving Father is essential for stepping into the abundant life God has for us.
In many instances, it was God who put those dreams and ideas in our hearts in the first place.
The worst thing we could do is hesitate or sit back when God has given us the green light and the freedom to go for it.
Beyond our sinful desires, which must be overcome and rejected, sometimes there is nothing inherently wrong or inherently sinful about our dreams and goals.
Our priorities, however, are simply out of alignment.
Certain plans take precedence over the things God has asked us to do or wants for our life.
We get distracted by our many aspirations that we forget to pursue or make time for what truly matters most.
This is why Solomon, like many figures in the Bible, recognized the importance of calibrating plans and passions to God's will and desire.
Big or small, our plans are ultimately subject to the will and sovereignty of God.
To put that into perspective, when the children of Israel returned from captivity in Babylon and Persia, God instructed the former exiles to begin rebuilding the temple.
Initially, they were eager to get started on a project many of them had probably dreamed about while in captivity.
However, after just two years of work, construction had ceased.
Rather than being motivated to finish, the people had become discouraged by opposition and distracted by other plans and projects in their lives.
In this instance, the Israelites hadn't outright refused to work the temple, they had simply put it off for another day.
Accordingly, when God's plans are put off, our plans often suffer.
When God's goals are pursued first, He often helps our plans fall into place.
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This is an edited version.
The full article and Bible references are avaiable on request
Joel Ryan
is an author, writing professor, and contributing writer for Salem Web Network and Lifeway.
When he's not writing stories and defending biblical truth, Joel is committed to helping young men find purpose in Christ and become fearless disciples and bold leaders in their homes, in the church, and in the world.
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