There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 16:25
Have you ever watched an unsaved family member make a poor choice and wondered, "WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?" I know it's a stupid question because everyone has. That was the case for me today as I heard that my sister chose this last Friday 2/17/23 to go visit a friend in Ohio. While people are leaving their homes due to the danger, my sister decides that it's a good time to go visit the area.
I'm sure that she'd purchased her ticket a while back, so she could not have foreseen or factored in the current event that is now taking place in East Palestine. However, God knew what she didn't, and if she'd gone to our omniscient Heavenly Father for guidance, I know that He would have led her. (Keep in mind that she's a professing Christian, so the first thing that needs to happen is she needs to be born again.)
11But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. 12For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Psalm 5:11-12
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that born again Christians aren't kept from trouble and safe at all times, I'm simply pointing out that when we base our decisions on God's commandments and put our trust in Him, we are in the best position for HIS will to be done.
Planning According To The World
It's true that she found herself in a pickle and was walking according to her own understanding. She'd purchased the ticket and didn't want to waste the money that she'd paid. Plus, (as far as I know) this trip had been planned for some time, so I'm sure there were other reservations, worldly activities and things they'd planned to do during her stay, so she was probably factoring in all that.
15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:15-16
My sister is worldly, so it would stand to reason that she was led by her pride of life and love for the things of this world...which is not uncommon or specific to her. That's how the majority of the world makes decisions, so I'm not trying to pick on her. I'm simply using this example as an illustration to show the decision making process of most people.
Planning According To Pride
Before I was born again, I'm sure that most of my friends and family were all thinking that same thing about the majority of choices I made...and for good reason. I made TONS of stupid decisions based on my desires, lusts, own understanding, stubbornness, etc.
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
Proverbs 28:26
Sometimes I would even be so stupid as to base my plans solely on pride and rebellion. If someone told me not to do something, I might just go ahead and do it just because they said not to. Although, mostly, if I wanted help planning I would seek counsel from other like minded, unsaved people without godly wisdom. Talk about the blind leading the blind!
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
Jeremiah 7:24
The Perpetual Pit Of My Plans
Without any regard to God, I would make bad decision after bad decision and wonder why my life was spinning out of control. I was an absolute fool who trusted in my own heart, and in doing so, it caused me a lot of grief. It's so funny (but at the same time pathetic) how I couldn't see what my problem was. "Why is this happening to me??" was my frequently asked question.
Looking back at the old me I just shake my head. Hindsight is 20/20 and I could have answered that question, but would the old me have even listened? Not a chance! I always had to learn the hard way, and even the hard way didn't work. Inevitably, I would always go back to life as usual making the same dumb decisions and mistakes.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
Proverbs 26:11
Planning According To God's Providence
These days I can clearly see the importance of going to God in ALL things, seeking His will above my own and putting Him first. What a blessing it is to know that whether it seems good or bad, God knows everything from the beginning to the end, and He always has my best interests in mind.
I've personally seen prayers answered speedily as He led me through difficult decisions and other times when prayers aren't answered and instead I was called to be still and know that He is God. It was those times where I only understood afterward, that God was stretching my faith or protecting me from something that I couldn't have foreseen. That's why these days I pray that He puts up stumbling blocks if He doesn't want something to happen. I've found it's much better to yield to the Spirit rather than kicking against the pricks and trying to get my way.
Planning For God's Purpose
I just feel incredibly blessed to have received salvation especially at such a time as this. It's tragic to see people trusting in their own heart as a basis for making plans. We're approaching a time when the world will be swimming in chaos. It will be a time of great fear and people don't make sound decisions when they're living in fear. (This is a subject I have first hand experience with).
There's no better time to seek a relationship with God than right now, and learn how to be led by Him. Making a habit out of involving God in every decision is the safest and best thing that anyone can do. Unfortunately, I still have to work on getting out of the habit of walking on my own will.
After years of living without Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, it's just second nature to make decisions off the cuff. However, I'm certainly getting better at it due to chastenings and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. It's all glory to God, that I'm developing a NEW habit of going to Him before I make any decision, seeking His will to be done and trusting that ALL things work together for good to those who are the called according to His purpose.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28
