Devotionals for the Heart: What God taught me about making plans

Learning to Plan with Open Hands
A devotional by Cherie Mendez

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.— James 4:13-16 (NLT)

Since childhood, making decisions would always make me feel anxious.

I grew up with the same opportunities as my big sister, but she was more successful than I because when she would make a decision, she would stick with it and work hard to see her goals come to pass.

We both studied at the same ballet school, and while she faithfully went to class, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to continue with ballet or do other things. My sister’s hard work and determination paid off because she eventually became a part of a ballet company. I on the other hand, bounced from one endeavor to another, never sticking anything out. My mother got frustrated with me because I would start and quit everything from gymnastics, to ice skating, to musical theater. As I entered adulthood, I discovered that many people make decisions based on how they feel and what looks best; but as believers, God is calling us to make decisions that line up with His will.

God’s will is “knowable”, but the question is, “Do we want to know His will?” One of my favorite passages is Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

I have always had a tendency to go one of two extremes when it came to making decisions. I would either assume something is okay because it “seems right” without asking God or I would get so paralyzed I would do nothing out of fear of making the wrong decision. The consequences of wrong decisions can be absolutely devastating—that is why God clearly outlines in His Word (The Holy Bible) on how to make decisions aligned with His will.

Here are three ways to make decisions that honor God and keep us on a level path:

Way #1: Read God’s Word (The Holy Bible). God’s will always aligns with His word. Psalm 119:105 (KJV) says “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Way #2: Pray. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV) tells us to “pray without ceasing.” That means to always have a heart that is open to prayer and to make prayer a priority.

Way #3: Seek wise counsel. Proverbs 11:14 (ASV) says, “Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth; But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

I am so thankful for the amazing women of God in my life that I have always been able to go to for sound biblical advice. They always know the right questions to ask and steer me to seek answers from the Lord on my own. This has been especially helpful in those “gray” areas.

Thankfully, Jesus Christ did not leave us to figure out everything for ourselves—He sent us His Holy Spirit to guide and counsel us. John 16:13 (NLT) says, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”

We all make wrong decisions at some point in our lives, but thankfully we have a God that is always present to help “re-route” us.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that You are always there to keep us on the right path. Thank You for loving us enough to send your Son (Jesus Christ) to make a way when there was no way so we can know and love You and walk in Your light. Thank You for your Word and your precious Holy Spirit. Help us to be guided by You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Order My Steps” by GMWA Women of Worship. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Cherie Mendez is a professional actress and photographer. 

Her passion is to help women understand their true worth and walk in their God-given purpose. After many years working as a Christian in the entertainment industry, she is thankful to be able to share all her learning experiences in her blog posts and on Instagram.

Some of the topics Cherie loves to write about are:

· Coping with rejection

· Finding your purpose and using your talent for God’s glory

· How God always looks at the heart and the meaning of inner beauty

· Understanding that we are all a work in progress and God is not done with us yet

Cherie’s TV credits include The Equalizer, Bull, and Blue Bloods (CBS). She also appeared in the PureFlix film Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider.

Cherie and her husband Jimmy live in Texas. They are thankful to have been married for 30 years. In their free time, they enjoy traveling, photography, and movie night.

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Connect with Cherie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheriemendez/