Whose Plan?

I like to plan. I like to help other people plan. I'm a financial planner. Makes sense. It's my nature, my vocation, and also my weakness. Another blogger recently wrote about core sin. This is one of mine: I sometimes rely more on my plan than on God's purpose.

People are worried about the economic and market woes we are experiencing. I understand that. On some levels, so am I. What happens will not only have an effect on my retirement savings, but potentially on my livelihood as well. I have a plan to pay off my mortgage. I have a plan for retirement (what I like to call financial independence). To execute the plan, I will exercise my skills whenever opportunities are available to do so. Here's my issue. I often forget to acknowledge that God has given me the skills, and He has provided the opportunites for me to exercise them in the context of executing my plan...earning a living, giving, and building a nest-egg. He could just as easily take them away in the context of executing His plan. A physical illness. An economic downturn. What will it be?

Fortunately, God reminds me regularly that success has little to do with executing my plan, but everything to do with trusting in His plan and His purpose. None of what is happening in our economy or the stock market is catching God off guard. His plan is not at risk. Forgive me, Lord, for worrying sometimes that mine is.