When Over-Planning and Trust Collide

Trust. It is only a 5 letter word, yet it is somethng that I have such a hard time understanding and living out.

Jesus Calling for April 24:

REST IN THE STILLNESS of My Presence while I prepare you for this day. Let the radiance of My Glory shine upon you, as you wait on Me in confident trust. Be still and know that I am God. There is both a passive and an active side to trusting Me. As you rest in My Presence, focusing on Me, I quietly build bonds of trust between us. When you respond to the circumstances of your life with affirmations of trust, you actively participate in this process.

I am always with you, so you have no reason to be afraid. Your fear often manifest itself in excessive planning. Your mind is so accustomed to this pattern of thinking that you are only now becoming aware of how pervasive it is and how much it hinders your intimacy with Me. Repent of this tendency and resist it, whenever you realize you are wandering down this well-worn path. Return to My Presence, which always awaits you in the present moment. I accept you back with no condemnation. 

To think that God has prepared me for THIS day. Yes, this WEDNESDAY. To think that God prepares me for EVERY day. Waiting in confident trust is not easy. Confident trust can seem like an oxymoron because confidence speaks of boldness yet trust is that subtle reliance – reliance on God. Responding in trust to life’s circumstances is not an easy task. I have not fully trusted God with all of my life’s circumstances – I sometimes think that I can do it on my own – that I can be self-sufficient. Oh Kristin, you have so much to learn! Trust is a beautiful thing – just so hard to do!

The thought of planning too much hits this girl right in the heart. I am a HUGE planner. I plan for everything – I freeze meals for that day when I don’t have time to put something together. I have a weekly menu planner. I have a calendar that sits in our kitchen filled with “things to do.” I like to “schedule” my day out by doing a routine – making sure I accomplish all that I want to. I have to-do lists. I have a running grocery list. I even have thoughts as to how I want my life to go. I PLAN.

As someone who loves to organize, planning is the “ta-da” word that I like to use – it helps rid of stress. But on the other hand, there is a point where one can plan TOO much. I admit I have done so. I could list countless times when I have planned something out so well or THINK life is going to go a certain way, to only see those plans go down the drain. Have you ever experienced that? It was in that planning that I did not full submit those plans to Him, but just made them on my own.

Over-planning can be a well-worn path. How many times do we continue to take a step back, trying to live in our own ways and desires, and not leaving it up to God? I worry. I become burdened with worry. I let worry about the future run my life at times – again, when will I learn? I have to say that over the past few years, I have been able to surrender more of my worry – but it is hard. I praise God for continually welcoming me back when I stray and try to live life on my own. It is not worth it. It is not worth the worry, the stress, the frustration. God is PATIENTLY waiting for us to come to Him in complete surrender to His plan. All we have to do is trust Him, run to Him, in complete surrender and faith in His already perfect plan for us