Scripture Reading: James 4:13–17
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
The Plans We Make
Have you ever made a plan so perfect in your mind that you could see every detail unfolding?
Maybe it was a vacation you’d been counting down to for months. Maybe it was the dream job you’d worked toward for years. Maybe it was finally finding your people—that community where you could belong, grow, and serve together.
I had one of those plans recently.
I joined a small group at church that, at first, felt like the answer to a prayer. The teaching was uplifting, focused on building relationships, loving each other, and encouraging one another in faith. We laughed together, prayed together, and shared life together. I left those early meetings with a full heart, thinking, This is it. This is my community. This is where I’ll grow roots.
But then… things shifted.
Some new teaching began to creep in—teaching that didn’t align with what I believe Scripture says. I stayed, thinking maybe we could talk through the differences. I tried to remain open to discussion, willing to share my perspective and back it up with the Bible. I thought, Maybe God has me here for a reason—to bring truth into this space.
Then a new person joined the group. This person quickly shut down any discussion, speaking as if their interpretation was the only truth, and that was the end of it. No room for questions, no space for differing views—just a firm stance on what they believed, which I couldn’t agree with.
I still loved the people, so I kept going. I tried to gently bring the conversation back to Scripture. But soon, the group just… stopped meeting. And to make matters worse, people I had been friends with long before this group—friends who used to say, “It’s okay if we don’t agree on everything”—blocked me, unfriended me, and walked away entirely.
At first, it hurt. Really hurt.
I thought, God, I don’t understand. I made this plan. I found my people. Why would You take this away?
The Unknown Tomorrow
James reminds us bluntly in this passage: You do not know what tomorrow will bring. We can plan our tomorrows down to the last detail, but we don’t hold the future. God does.
The truth is, I couldn’t see what God saw. I couldn’t see the path my friends were heading down. I couldn’t see the long-term effects of staying in that group. But God could. And in His mercy, He stepped in and rerouted my path.
That’s the hard part—trusting that His interruption is protection.
Because in the moment, it feels like loss.
It’s like holding on tightly to a map you drew yourself, only for God to gently take it out of your hands and say, “I know where we’re going, but we’re not taking that road.” You can protest, you can cry, you can even argue with Him—but if you truly believe He is good, you’ll eventually let Him lead.
God’s Will Over Ours
James says we should live with an “If the Lord wills” mindset. It’s not about superstitiously adding the phrase “Lord willing” to every plan, but about living with the heart posture that says, God, this is what I want, but I trust You more than I trust myself.
Because if we don’t, we can drift into arrogance—believing that we control our lives. James calls that boasting, and he doesn’t sugarcoat it: All such boasting is evil.
That’s a strong word—evil.
But think about it: if I believe my plans are better than God’s, I’ve essentially placed myself in His seat. I’ve decided my wisdom is greater than His. That’s not just misguided; it’s pride in its purest form.
Learning to Let Go
I’m learning that when God closes a door, it’s not punishment—it’s protection.
I may never know exactly why my plan for community ended the way it did, but I do know this: God’s plans never fail. Mine do. His are always rooted in love. Mine, sometimes, are rooted in my own desires.
Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”
It’s not wrong to plan—but it is wrong to plan without submitting to God first.
Letting go means trusting that God sees the dangers, the detours, and the dead ends that I can’t see. It means choosing to believe that even if my heart aches in the moment, His plan will bring greater joy and deeper peace in the long run.
Stop Holding Others to Your Standards
In the last verse of this passage, James pivots to something that might seem unrelated: “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
This is personal accountability.
If God has convicted you about something, and you ignore it, that’s sin—for you. But here’s the thing: not everyone is in the same place spiritually. That means not everyone will have the same convictions you do.
I’ve been guilty of this—holding people to standards God hasn’t yet laid on their hearts. Maybe they don’t know yet. Maybe the Holy Spirit is still working on them in that area. And sometimes, I’ve been guilty of thinking my timing for someone’s growth is better than God’s. Spoiler: it’s not.
Paul tells us in Romans 3:20 that the law was given so we could recognize sin and see our need for a Savior. But if someone hasn’t learned something yet, or if they’re a brand-new believer, I can’t expect them to live by the same maturity level that I (should) have after years of following Christ.
Correction Wrapped in Love
Now, that doesn’t mean we never address sin—especially among fellow believers. Scripture is clear that we’re called to encourage one another, correct one another, and bear each other’s burdens. But the motive must always be love.
Ephesians 4:15 says we should speak the truth in love. Not in frustration. Not in superiority. Not in a way that shames or embarrasses. But with the same grace and patience God has shown us.
When I think about that group I was in, I realize there were moments I could have been gentler in my responses. I could have listened more before I spoke. I could have asked more questions instead of just presenting my viewpoint. I was passionate about truth—and that’s good—but I have to remember that truth without love can sound like noise.
A Heart Check for All of Us
James 4:13–17 gives us two big takeaways:
- Hold your plans loosely. Make them, yes—but make them with the awareness that God may change them. And if He does, it’s for your good.
- Live by your convictions without forcing them on others. God’s timing for someone else’s growth may not match yours. Be patient. Be loving. Let your example speak louder than your lecture.
When I look back now, I can honestly say I’m grateful that God closed the door on that small group. It was painful, but it also freed me to find the right place—a community that’s aligned with His truth and His purpose for me in this season.
And I’m learning to say, “If the Lord wills” not just with my lips, but with my life.
Final Thoughts
You and I don’t know what tomorrow holds—but we know Who holds it. That’s not just a cliché; it’s the anchor for our faith.
So, make your plans. Dream your dreams. But hold them out to God with open hands, ready for Him to guide, change, or completely redirect them.
Because here’s the truth:
If you give God the pen, He’ll write a story better than anything you could have mapped out yourself.
Reflection Questions:
- Is there an area of your life where you’ve been holding too tightly to your own plan?
- How can you practice saying, “If the Lord wills” in your daily life—not just in words, but in attitude?
- Is there someone you’ve been holding to your standards instead of loving them where they are? How can you shift that this week?
Pastor Tricia's Ramblings 
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