I was surprised to find out that many of us have no plans really. No personal goals. We take things one day at a time. Faithful? Hmmmmm....
If we have a job, our plans just revolve around the routines set by our work. Most of us, though not all, have confined our plans to the "box" that we have placed ourselves into. In fact we don't plan at all. We just follow. When sudden changes come and we are left in the cold, we are jolted because we are not prepared. No contingencies have been set.
While it is true that faith requires us to fully trust in the Lord for our future, the Lord also asked us to use the talents that he has given, so that the proverbial coins that He has invested on us may flourish and give better returns. It takes faith to make risks but risks are reduced when plans are laid well.
A lot of the things we do when we do not plan result to waste. Take the case of doing the grocery. When we buy without a grocery list, we end up purchasing items that do not match the other items to prepare a meal. They got stocked up in the cupboard and sometimes are forgotten 'til the expiration indicators show their lumps.
Even the Lord had plans. We were not born out of His whim. In the book on creation which is found in the best source, Genesis, the Lord built the world and all its inhabitants one day at a time. But He planned far ahead. Even when Adam and Eve sinned, He based His decision to banish them on a plan He had sanctions for the errors and the "ifs".
Plans give directions to our lives to facilitate and not stress us. Anticipating certain developments because of a proper reading of the "times" through news reports and observation of changes in the environment, business, social and political climate, may reveal how one can approach the future. Referring back to my favorite source of wisdom. When God saw Adam was lonely, He made woman out of his rib for the purposes He anticipated we would question. That woman should be a partner, not separate, not beneath, but close to the heart of man. God did not waste new clay. He planned after observing man and how he responded to his environment.
Most of the businesses that work now are those that cater to the basic needs of man. Laundry services are gaining ground because of the difficulty of finding good help at home. Spas are invading the scene because of the need to relax in the rat race.
As we plan for our businesses, we must incorporate the plans for our lives. Another of my favorite sources of good testimonies to this talk is Philip Tan of Wellmade Motors and Development Corporation. His business has been planned to incorporate his personal life, which is supposedly the be all and end all of a worklife.
For Philip, working means being able to afford relaxation when the grind is over. It should not be the occupation of your life. Thus, you plan your work so that you may be able to find time to LIVE.
All of these benefits are achieved through careful planning. We have to set our goals well. Find the satisfaction point. Set limits and know when to let go.
Often times, plans fail because we do not foresee greed. We do not include in the computation the need to retool the mind to make the right choices. We need to know how to arrive at sound judgment after careful evaluation. The pursuit of wealth borne out of greed and pride will end up with many wasted things as well. You may deplete investment of years in trust and friendship may ultimately lose your walking partner in the time of retirement.
So plan for the more sustaining wealth.