Pride in My Plans

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will,we will live and do this or that.”As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.  James 4:13-17

I go along.  I'm being obedient.  God is granting me victory.  Then it hits.  That moment when it's me that's creating the victory.  It's me that makes the plans that will bring victory.  Yes, God's ways are working, but this and this will make it work even better.  Since weight loss is the easiest victory to talk about I'll apply it here.

For many years I prayed and God granted me small victories.  Then I would tweak the plan to get to goal faster.  I would set a deadline and all my self-control would go out the window.  I would FAIL.  Most times I was worse off than before.  Or I would begin to share with everyone my victory and how well I was doing.  Although I may say - God lead me.  It was about my pride, not bringing Him glory. 

This got me thinking about other areas where I may be living with defeat, I'll post soon.