Planning For The FutureSample

Practical advice from Ecclesiastes: plan for the future, live for today

Whether or not your plans are good and you let God steer you in the right direction, the future is still a mystery. There are factors beyond your control. Success or failure can happen to anyone. This is the bad news and the encouragement offered by the book of Ecclesiastes.

“Time and chance” happen to everyone, says Ecclesiasts 9:11. One who succeeds at work may be no more deserving than another who fails. Despite your hard work and ingenuity, there is always a big question mark in the future. Success may come even if you don’t deserve it, and failure might happen despite your best efforts.

When asked by the Harvard Business Review what made him one of the best performing CEOs in the world, Lars Sorensen responded, “luck.” His company, Novo Nordisk, began manufacturing insulin just before global demand for diabetes treatment skyrocketed. Sorensen sees himself as riding the coattails of this lucky break. He doesn’t pat himself on the back for his company’s success. “I don’t like this notion of the best-performing CEO,” he says. “Since I joined the company 33 years ago, I’ve been part of some of the most stupid mistakes.”

To counterbalance your blind spots about the future, the teacher of Ecclesiastes offers this advice: Throw yourself into your work today. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). The same goes for enjoying the fruits of your labor, whatever they may be. Eat, drink, and take full advantage of God’s blessings today. According to Ecclesiastes 9:7, this is the one plan that comes from God pre-approved.

In conclusion, the Bible’s advice on planning is to make plans for the long term, hold your plans lightly, and enjoy what you have today. With God, all this is possible.

Prayer: God, help me enjoy my work today. Give me diligence for the future and enjoyment in the present. I trust you to shape my plans now and reshape them later. Thank you, God for holding the future in your hand. Amen.

If you enjoyed this plan, find more plans from the Theology of Work Project at www.theologyofwork.org/devotions