Daily devotion – two vital words
James 4: 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
James gives us some outstanding teaching and wisdom here that can change us from a complainer and a worrier to someone who is calm no matter what speed bumps or changes of wind direction suddenly occur in our lives and our plans.
There are some Christians who are never flustered, they seem to be able to adapt to whatever comes their way. These are believers who have taken James words to heart and are not living in their own selfish way.
As followers of Christ, we have surrendered our hand on the rudder and compass of our lives. We handed that all over to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit. This is why Paul, even though he would be locked up in jail, beaten, could still sing praises to God. Because all of Paul’s previous plans for his life he had laid down now at the feet of Jesus.
Two very key words are expressed by James that summarise how we can move from being one of those who get upset when things don’t turn out how ‘we’ have planned, to a person who is calm and confident still.
Those two words are, “Lord willing….”
When people contact me about some service they would like me to provide in the future, I tell them, “If I am still alive and God wills this to happen, I am available!” People think I am joking when I say these words but actually, I am completely serious.
My life is in God’s hands completely now so whatever comes my way I know the Lord has allowed and therefore I am to adjust to His plans.
Therefore, I don’t have any grounds to complain or whine, because God is in charge of my life, and I prefer His plans and His leading to mine at all times.
The next time you write an email stating your plans for some future event, be sure to add those beautiful words of advice from James…… “Lord willing!”
The next time you make a verbal commitment about something in the future, be sure to utter…. “Lord willing.”
We then never have any valid reason to be upset or complain because our lives are not our own, but His!