Hi, my name is Rho, and I am a compulsive planner.
I have never even considered planning to be a problem until this morning. While catching up on my daily devotional, Jesus Calling Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young, I read “a mind preoccupied with planning pays homage to the idol of control.”
As a Christian, self-discovery that points out making anything into an idol is very problematic. But is not planning just being prepared? I mean, seriously, can you ever be too prepared? I needed to dive into this notion that planning can create an idol of control.
I have always been a planner. I love lists. I will create lists for everything. I create meal plans, cleaning plans, shopping plans, budget plans, and even exercise plans. However, I must admit, that exercise plans are not always a priority. I have a crazy fondness for Post-it notes that displays my lists in an array of colors. I remember a time while working as an office manager, my affection for Post-its was well known and on my birthday one year, my staff had covered every available surface in my office with Post-its. It was hilarious!
So, at what point does planning become an idol of control versus being prepared?
Proverbs 19:21 tells us “Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
So let me think about when I make plans. I make plans and lists for everyday tasks to stay organized as I listed above, but what other areas do I spend time planning?
If I am being honest, I find that when I am feeling nervous or out of control my first action is to plan. The plan always starts with a list. I list the problem and then begin to formulate a remedy.
Wow, as I am writing this is it clear how this action can pull me away from God and my faith in Him, His promises, and His plan which is exceedingly better than any plan I could muster up in my power.
Please understand that I am not implying that being organized, making lists, and formulating plans are bad.
What I have come to realize is that in those moments we feel compelled to make lists or plans for any situation, we must make sure that our plan is not replacing our faith. Take time to pray. God has already equipped you with everything you need for every challenge and task that comes your way. We only need to keep our eyes on Him to seek His will. How do we know His will? It is simple. Spend time with Him in prayer and His word. He has left us an instructions manual, and with today’s technology, if you have a cell phone, you can have instant access to the Bible and with the press of a button you can have God’s word spoken to you. I use the You Version Bible App and it does not get easier than that.
