What steps can we take to ensure our plans align with God's will? Setting the Scene “After David had settled into his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.’” (1 Chronicles 17:1) David’s instinct was noble—he wanted the honor of God to be visibly exalted. Yet, as the rest of the chapter reveals, even a godly impulse must be filtered through divine direction. From David’s experience we can trace clear steps for aligning our own plans with the will of God. Step 1: Start with a God-Honoring Desire • Ask, “Is my first motive to exalt the Lord?” • Psalm 37:4 – “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” When delight in Him is the foundation, desires begin in the right place. Step 2: Weigh Every Idea Against Scripture • God never contradicts His written Word. • Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” • 2 Timothy 3:16 – Scripture “is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” Step 3: Commit the Plan to Prayer • Philippians 4:6 – “In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” • Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and unsearchable things.” In prayer we hand the blueprint back to the Architect. Step 4: Listen for God’s Response • 1 Chronicles 17:3-4 – “But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying, ‘Go and tell My servant David, “This is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build Me a house to dwell in.”’” • Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart… and He will make your paths straight.” God may confirm, refine, delay, or redirect; His reply is always best. Step 5: Invite Wise, Godly Counsel • David spoke with Nathan, a proven prophet. • Proverbs 11:14 – “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Seek voices anchored in Scripture and devoted to God’s glory. Step 6: Hold Plans with Open Hands • Proverbs 16:9 – “A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” • James 4:15 – “You ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’” Flexibility is faith in action, trusting God more than the plan. Step 7: Respond in Humble Worship and Obedience • 1 Chronicles 17:16 – “Then King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, ‘Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?’” • John 14:15 – “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Whether God says yes, no, or wait, the right posture is worship and ready obedience. Putting It All Together 1. Desire God’s honor first. 2. Test every idea by Scripture. 3. Pray earnestly and specifically. 4. Wait and listen for God’s answer. 5. Consult mature, biblical counsel. 6. Stay flexible and yielded. 7. Worship and obey regardless of the outcome. Follow these steps, and like David, you can rest knowing that every plan—accepted, altered, or declined—has met the loving scrutiny of the One whose will never fails. |
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