READ: PSALM 32:8; PROVERBS 16:9; MATTHEW 6:25-34; JAMES 4:13-15

I am a planner. I love to plan out my future and what I want to do next. Maybe you’re like me and you find yourself thinking a lot about the future and what comes next. What am I going to do after school today? Or this weekend? Or what am I going to do this summer? What am I going to do after I graduate high school?

Sometimes, planning our future is good. Other times, the desire to plan stems from a desire for control. We might find ourselves wanting to be in control of our lives, what we do, and what happens, in a way that forgets—or perhaps ignores— the truth that God is the One who is ultimately in control.

I saw this desire for control play out in my life one year when I was applying for summer internships, planning out what I was going to do all summer and how that was going to support my future. But guess what? All my plans fell through because I didn’t end up getting any internships. God had a better plan for me. That summer, God sent me to Glacier National Park to serve with a ministry team and spread the gospel. It was so last minute because God knew I didn’t need to plan out every detail, I just needed to trust Him to guide me. He knew I needed a summer of adventure, spending time with Him, and not thinking about my future so much.

The truth is, God is the only One who’s in control of our future. And that’s a good thing! God’s plans for us are always better than anything we could plan for ourselves. We don’t have to strive so hard to control the outcomes of our lives. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, no matter what happens, we will always be with Him. And, through the Holy Spirit, He will help us learn to trust Him more and more throughout our lives. God knows what we need, and He is worthy of our trust. We can always rely on Him to guide us. • Elizabeth Cooper

• Do you have any examples from your life when you realized God’s plans were better than what you had planned? What happened? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

• Are you someone who likes to plan? While it can be good to think ahead and consider what we might do in the future, planning can sometimes become an idol—something we go to for security or satisfaction instead of going to God. What might it look like to practice holding our plans loosely, being open to where God will guide us? Who are trusted Christians in your life who can help you discern how God might be leading you?

Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Psalm 31:3 (NIV)