Wise Planning Requires Making Decisions For The Long-Term
Text for Today: Prov. 6:1-11 “Provides her supplies in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.” (vs. 8).
Those who will go far in life don’t think only about today, rather they also factor the future into whatever they are doing today. God plans for the very long term, and we are wise to plan ahead also. But we must remain humble about our plans.
Unlike God, we do not have the power to make all our plans come to pass. “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring” (Prov. 27:1). We plan with wisdom, speak with humility, and live in expectation that God’s plans are our ultimate desire.
Attention to long-term consequences may be the most important skill we can cultivate for success. For example, psychological research has shown that the ability to delay gratification—that is, the ability to make decisions based on longer-term results—is a far better predictor of success in school than IQ is.
Regrettably, some ignorant Christians sometimes seem to take passages such as “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34) to mean, “Do not plan ahead for tomorrow.” In fact, the entire Christian life, with its expectation of Christ’s return to perfect the kingdom of God, is a life of planning for the long-term.
The Valiant Woman plans ahead. “She brings her food from far away” (Prov. 31:14), meaning that she doesn’t depend on last-minute convenience purchases of questionable quality and cost.
The point is that she makes decisions based on their long-term consequences. Wise planning requires making decisions for the long-term.
You are a Champion!
Further Study: Prov. 31:10-31.
Covenant Prayers
- Father, I give you glory for all your deeds in my life.
- I receive grace to always plan ahead as regards my pursuit.
- Every plot of the devil to limit me in destiny shall fail.
- My glory shall speak louder this last quarter of 2022.
QUOTE: “THOSE WHO PLAN AHEAD INTO THE FUTURE ARE ALWAYS CELEBRATED IN LIFE.”
