Step 7: Develop a Plan
Proverbs 16:9 “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”
This is a great verse. If your heart is prepared from verse 1, what you need to do is to figure out how to do what God has called you to do. Get a plan, but prepare for interruptions and changes. You must be flexible as God reveals things to you. You may want to go to school or go the mission field without support or education. Get an idea of what needs to be done, but go to God for the details on how, and when, leave the details to God. You must have a plan or you will never accomplish anything. Plan your future by learning from the past. Study history, especially the history of the gospel. Talk to others who have done what you are interested in. Get busy in the present bringing God glory and let God do the directing. Always do things God’s way in God’s time. You have to devise your way, but led God do the directing, guiding, and changing.
Proverbs 16:10 “A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.”
You don’t have the final say. Obey the chain of command. In fact, one of the way God trains men for tasks is by putting them under godly men. God uses the method of two people making a great team. God uses the local church as the authority. If what you want to do is God’s will, there will be church members and your pastor who will want to help you. If you are sure it is what God wants you to do, make suggestions to get changes. If it is to go to the mission field, you need to realize that God wants the church to support you. It is the churches responsibility to send out missionaries to preach the gospel throughout the whole world. The only way to do that is to support God called missionaries. If you can’t convince your church that that is what God wants you to do, then you might be mistaken. Or the timing might not be right. It is important to realize that God is the King! What He says is what matters and should be obeyed. Develop you plan on what it is God wants you to do.
Proverbs 16:11 “A just weight and balance are the LORD'S: all the weights of the bag are his work.”
Balance is the key. Work, rest, teach, record. Use “all the weights of the bag.” Notice this is Proverbs 16:11 The Authorized Version is the AV1611. All the weights of the bag are in the King James Bible. It has everything you need to be successful. Part of developing a plan has to do with reading, studying, and meditating on His word! If you spend time in it, you will be balanced. It balances out everything else you do and learn. It sheds light on what it is you are supposed to be doing.