DO NOT LEAVE GOD OUT OF YOUR PLAN

 

TEXT: JOHN 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”

At the beginning of every New Year, we come up with new year plans, visions, and goal (short, medium, and long term). We propose in her hearts to be more effective and productive- we focus on making the most of the new year without wasting and time or day on any endeavour that would not add value to us.

We want to strive to turn a new leaf in any areas of our lives that we feel we need to improve on, and what we are doing well, we want to be at the best of our game in that regard. There is nothing wrong in planning and setting achievable goals to guide us through the year and our entire lives. In fact, we all know that whoever that fails to plan is planning to fail. Therefore, planning beforehand is a very vital tool to achieving success.

When people make plans, goals, and their vision for the new year, it may be in written form so that they will be ticking the boxes as they year progresses, and some keep their plans and goals in their hearts, and they follow it throughout the years. Whichever way we choose to document our plans and goals, we should not leave God our of our plans and goals.

It is good to have the mindset to start the year with great desires and expectations. People have high hope and aspiration to make their lives better as they journey through every calendar year. However, by the first quarter of the year, the aspiration, and the zeal we brought to the new year may start to dwindle or decline. The reason for this is that people tend to relax and go back to their old ways of life. This is normal as human beings. That is why the scripture admonishes us in Matthew 26: 41 that we should watch and pray, for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. There are things we really want to do, but our flesh may debar us from achieving them. let us look at what Apostle Paul said in Romans 7: 14- 16… “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.”

The verse above is mostly used in the context of living in sin and struggling to put the flesh into subjection. In the same vein, we can use it to explain how our flesh through procrastination or complacency hinder us from fulfilling all the goals and aspiration we planned to achieve. Therefore, we need the help, the support and the leading of God through the Holy Spirit during the planning and implementation of our set goals and vision.

You may be wondering, what about unbelievers? Do they not achieve their goals without God? Yes, they did, but I am talking of good success here- the one that God gives without adding sorrow. Many of the rich and successful unbelievers are depressed and frustrated because the “God factor” is missing in their lives.

Our anchor scripture says we should abide in God for without Him we can do nothing because He is the vine, and we are the branches. When a branch falls from the vine, it dries off because it lacks the source of nourishment. This verse has just summed up all the explanations I have been talking about.  As believers, without God we can do nothing spectacular. To avoid frustration, never leave God out of your plan.

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