Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Proverbs 21:5
Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber. Proverbs 6:6-11
The Lord detests evil plans, but he delights in pure words. Greed brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live. Proverbs 15:26-27
We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:1-3
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Proverbs 16:25
Today we consider aspect # 1 of work: "Plan your work." There are so many things about "work" that the Proverbs above speak to. To comment on all of it would be too much. Please read through the Proverbs and write down things that stand out to you. What is the one thing that resonates the most with you? Finally, identify one change you need to make in your life in regard to the aspect of work: "Plan your work."
The old adage "plan your work and work you plan" rings true. The work to which we give ourselves is all-important. Always, we want our work, the plans we have for doing that work, the attitudes and motives we bring to our work, and the overall course of our lives to be fully aligned with God and his ways.
Lord, thank you that you are always at work. I sense that you are at work in my life right now in some very special ways. Where I am too lax in the management of my life, help me to be more deliberate and diligent. Where I am too uptight and controlling in the management of my life, help me to be more relaxed and dependent on you. I commit myself to you, Lord, and the changes you want to make in my life. Amen!
