We all live by chance to a certain extent. How a given day in our lives goes often depends on whether we got up in time to have breakfast, what the traffic was like, or because of any number of variables. As the book of Ecclesiastes confirms “Time and chance happen to all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). But the same biblical book tells us that it is equally true that we should make thoughtful plans and be diligently active toward making them happen (Ecclesiastes 11:2,4; etc.).
Why Plan?
Our brains are wired to make plans and to follow them. As far back as 1949, the Canadian neuropsychologist Donald Hebb coined the phrase “Neurons that fire together, wire together.” Hebb’s axiom is simply a neurological way of saying that when we direct ourselves to an action and consistently repeat it, our brains reinforce the behavior. In the same way, when we plan for growth and consistently implement our plans, the directed energy and repetition builds on itself, and we grow far more than if we just wait for growth to happen.
The truth is, we rarely grow through chance alone. As is often said, “Change doesn’t happen by chance but by choice.” Just as we can’t build a home without a blueprint, we can’t grow without a plan. Even the biological growth of plants and animals is planned –the plans for growth are built into every cell.
Spiritually, this is especially important. We know we are called to grow (Hebrews 6:1; 1 Peter 2:2–3; 2 Peter 3:18; etc.), but do we grow only occasionally – by chance – when we happen to hear a sermon or read an article that we can see applies to us, or do we actively look for such information?
Do we promise ourselves we will spend more time studying the Bible or doing something productive or valuable “when we have more time” – or do we plan to make the time?
Do we help others when they happen to cross our paths and we see they need help – or do we plan to help those who need help?
God Wants Us to Plan
The word “plan” appears hundreds of times in the Bible, and we need only read the Bible’s first chapter to see that God plans everything: that he already had a plan as he began the work of creation. Later, God provided detailed plans for the construction of the Tabernacle along with plans for all the many offerings, as we find documented in the books of Exodus and Leviticus. Acts 2:23 even tells us that Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” God is, indeed, the planner par-excellence – as Isaiah wrote “the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent” (Isaiah 28:29).
So it is clear that if we want to grow, and we want to grow to be more like God, we need to learn to plan our growth. We cannot refuse to plan and use the excuse that we are “letting the Holy Spirit guide our lives” because the Bible (inspired by the Holy Spirit) frequently urges us to plan. Jesus himself said “suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace” (Luke 14:31–32 emphasis added). What Jesus describes here, is simply the importance of planning.
Naturally, our spiritual planning should be done in a prayerful spirit, asking God’s guidance. Proverbs tells us “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” (Proverbs 16:3) and “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Proverbs 16:9). If we desire to grow spiritually, God is more than willing to help us achieve that goal, but we must show God we want to change and we must plan for change. That is why the psalmist could confidently pray “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed” (Psalm 20:4).
