You even formed every bone in my body
when you created me in the secret place,
carefully, skillfully shaping me from nothing to something.
You saw who you created me to be before I became me!
Before I’d ever seen the light of day,
the number of days you planned for me
were already recorded in your book. Psalm 139:15-16
Do you ever make plans? Silly question, right? Of course you do! It’s just the way we are! It is one of the ways that you are created in the likeness of God; it’s one of the ways you bear His image in your life.
David speaks to this very thing in Psalm 139. “ Before I’d ever seen the light of day, the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in your book.” (Psalm 139:16b) This is an almost incomprehensible notion - a plan was already laid out for your life before you were born. David obviously sees this as a comforting thing. He goes on to express, “Your thoughts and plans are treasures to me, O God! I cherish each and every one of them! How grand in scope! How many in number!” (Psalm 139:17) It is very freeing to understand this. There isn’t one thing that happens in your life - no success, no failure - that hinders the ultimate execution of God’s purpose in your life. (See Proverbs 16)
Your desire to make plans is a God-thing. When you put that desire into action, you plan with a designed and intended outcome in mind. That too came from God. God desired a specific outcome when he planned, skillfully designed, and created you. There is not one person in God’s creative genius that is exactly like you. You may be able to find people who do some things better than you, but nobody has the unique combination of characteristics that you have. Consequently, no other individual can fill the role that is intended for you.
God’s unique plan and design for you do not imply that you can just sit back and watch the show. He asks you to live out His image in unique ways, one of which is planning. The nice thing is that the planning is not burdensome because you are uniquely equipped to accomplish your tasks and you have a God who has prepared the way. In your planning, trust in the master designer. Ask Him to show you the steps you should take.