The Evilness of Planning

"If something weakens you, even if you are good at it, it is a weakness. A strength is an activity that makes you feel strong. What are the activities that invigorate you?" (10/8/10 notes Women of Faith conference)

This causes me to ponder, "What makes me strong? What invigorates me?" I can easily list things that I do well, but which of those things invigorates me? Planning is what first comes to mind. I plan meals for the week, I plan lessons for school, I plan each day for a vacation, I plan for family gatherings. As I write that, I realize that the reason this planning did not always invigorate me was because when I planned, I expected everything to go as planned and I became stressed if it did not follow the plan. This was my error.

Planning, in and of itself, is not bad. It is the expectation that my plan is the only correct way for things to proceed. See, then it becomes a control issue, and that is where my error lies. Not in the planning but in the control.

A year ago I left a job where I was employed for 17 years. I had to leave because I thought I was in total control after 17 years. I had the perfect plan after all that time. God let me see that I was way off base. I had become so confident in myself, my skills, and my plan that I wasn't relying on Him at all. It was time to move on. It was time for me to let God take control of the plan.

In my new job, I still create a plan for the week or the month, but I have been continually reminded that God is in control of how things will actually play out. As I have given this over to him, I have found not only freedom but strength. I plan, God directs the plan, and when I allow Him to do that, every day is a good day. I am rejuvenated by my work rather than stressed by it. When I examine the days where I come home stressed, I can see that I pushed God aside and I took back control of the plan. When I actually visualize that picture of pushing God aside, I don't want to stand near myself. Lightning bolts they be a comin'!

A year ago I could not find praise or worship in a day filled with interruptions to my plan. Today, I am closer to "going with the flow". It requires a full trust in God. It requires me giving my plan to God each and every day. When I do that, the evilness of planning is gone and I am invigorated by planning and seeing what God will do with the plan.

How about you? What invigorates you?