What a beautiful and humble reminder from James 4:15: *"For you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.'"* This verse calls us to surrender our plans, dreams, and even our very lives to the sovereign will of God. It is not a passive resignation but an active trust in the One who holds all things in His hands. Too often, we make our plans with confidence in our own strength, forgetting that our next breath is a gift from the Lord. We are not promised tomorrow, and every step we take should be submitted to His perfect will.
Yet how often do we speak or act as if we are in control? How often do we say, *"I will do this, I will go there, I will accomplish that,"* without ever pausing to say, *"if the Lord wills"*? This is not merely a phrase to toss around lightly—it is an attitude of the heart, a recognition that God is the author of our days, and His purposes are far greater than our own. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, *"A man’s heart plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps."* And in Jeremiah 10:23, we read, *"Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps."*
If we are honest, this kind of surrender is not easy. It requires humility, faith, and a willingness to let go of our own ambitions when they do not align with God’s will. But oh, the peace that comes when we release our grip on the future and trust Him! Jesus Himself modeled this surrender in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, *"Not my will, but yours be done"* (Luke 22:42). If our Savior, who was equal with God, submitted Himself to the Father’s will, how much more should we?
Let us examine our hearts today. Are we truly living with the mindset of *"if the Lord wills"*? Or are we clinging to our own plans, our own timelines, our own desires? Do we seek His will in prayer before making decisions, or do we charge ahead, asking Him to bless our choices after the fact? Let us repent of any self-reliance and ask the Lord to teach us what it means to live in complete dependence on Him.
We lift up all who are reading this now, asking the Lord to soften our hearts to His leading. May we not be anxious about the future but instead rest in the truth that He is good, His plans are perfect, and His timing is flawless. Whether in small daily decisions or life-altering choices, may we always preface our steps with *"if the Lord wills,"* trusting that His way is better than our own.
Father in heaven, we come before You with humble hearts, acknowledging that our lives are in Your hands. Forgive us for the times we have made plans without seeking Your will, for the times we have acted as if we were in control. Teach us, Lord, to walk in surrender, to say with sincerity, *"If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."* Give us the faith to trust You even when Your will does not align with our desires. Help us to seek Your kingdom first, knowing that You will provide all we need. May our lives be a testament to Your goodness and sovereignty. We ask this in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who lived in perfect submission to Your will. Amen.