By Rick Warren
There’s a beautiful harmony that takes place between God and you in accomplishing the plan he has for your life. Though God’s contribution is far greater, your contribution to the plan is vital.
You see, planning is important to God. He doesn’t want you to drift along, allowing circumstances to determine the direction you take in life. He wants you to be intentional.
Nehemiah is a great example of someone who depended on God but still made a plan.
Nehemiah was cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. When he heard his hometown of Jerusalem had been destroyed and lay defenseless, he decided to go home and rebuild its walls—but he knew he wouldn’t get far without a plan.
The first step in Nehemiah’s plan was to ask God for favor.
Nehemiah needed the king’s permission to go to Jerusalem, and he needed support to rebuild the wall. So Nehemiah turned to God and prayed:
“O Lord, please hear my prayer . . . Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me” (Nehemiah 1:11 NLT).
Sometimes we think we shouldn’t ask God for success. But there’s nothing wrong with praying for success when you’re trusting God to do the work. It makes you grateful for any success you have.
And God certainly was at work, because King Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah everything he asked for—and Nehemiah gave God all the credit:
“And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me” (Nehemiah 2:8 NLT).
Nehemiah didn’t say, “Look at what my planning did.” With heartfelt gratitude, Nehemiah said, “Look at what God did.”
Nehemiah knew everything given to him came from “the gracious hand of God.” He had an attitude of gratitude. It’s an attitude God wants to see developed in your life too.
What needs to be rebuilt in your family, your job, your community, your city, or your nation? Ask God for favor as you develop a plan—and a grateful attitude—and watch how God blesses you.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” (Proverbs 16:3 NIV).
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