Life's Daily Challenge Devotional

Established plans

“Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established," Proverbs 15:22.

To the wise,

God has wonderful check and balance systems in His Kingdom. Even if we walk so close to Him that we are established in every part of our life, we are not complete in and of ourselves. We are only one part of a very multifaceted body. God makes each part unique by design so that none of the parts can be complete independently.

It is no good to be established in every part of your life only to fall short in your plans. God has designed that His plans be established through many people working inter-dependently together. Each adds the expertise, personality, gifts, experience, etc. that is their own. Each sees things and does things a little bit differently, thus adding a whole new dimension to the whole. As iron sharpens iron, so they sharpen one another.

In the short run, this type of planning might take longer. It may be frightening in terms of letting go and trusting God to use others. In the long run, plans done God's way and established by Him are built by Him. They will succeed, and when they do, they will not be destroyed by man or by devil.

Because of the abuse and neglect in today's world, there is a huge tendency for people to plan and work alone. Trust is a very rare commodity. In the Christian arena, distrust in God's people boils down to distrust in God's ability to work through His people. This is a very subtle form of pride and it is very dangerous in terms of the Kingdom of God. In Ephesians 5 God likens the Body of Christ to a marriage. In order for us personally to prosper, the marriage must prosper. In order for the marriage to prosper, there must be mutual submission. Independence will destroy a marriage. We must plan and build together. When we do, God will establish and prosper our plans.