The Illusion of Control

Making plans is part of our daily lives. It’s a natural part of life. But in this section of James, he shows how important it is to surrender our plans to God. He writes of a well-laid plan: Start today or tomorrow, go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make money. But where is God in this plan? James points out how arrogant and prideful it is to plan as if we know what the future holds or as if we have control over it! This self-reliant and self-centered kind of planning will only fil us with anxiety. God invites us to experience freedom, wisdom, and peace through depending on Him. The wisest plans are those laid in God’s hands.