October 28: James, 1-2 Peter

I'm a calendar person. I have a very nice planner at work where I write down all the activities for the month, day by day. Along with choir practice, church suppers, and school activities I write down the mundane "events" too-- what days I will go to the fitness center, what day I'll go grocery shopping, when I need to clean or do laundry.  If something comes up and derails my schedule, I sometimes get very upset. I realized this was becoming a problem when I would get upset if someone invited me out for supper and I felt like it was "ruining" my plans to work out or clean.  I also like to look ahead to the coming months and record Christmas parties, weekend trips, and show choir competitions-months in advance. So, it struck a bit of a nerve as I read these verses today.

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." ~James 4:13-15

I am definitely guilty of "boasting about tomorrow" which James warns against. I like to know the plan (if not create it) and stick to the plan and not let anything derail THE PLAN. But I need reminders that it is only MY plan, not God's. His plans are often very different. 

I definitely need reminders that God is in control, that HIS plans trump mine, and I need to live for him today instead of spending today planning for tomorrow.