SAINT RITA OF CASCIA, RELIGIOUS (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Instead you should say, “If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that.” 

James is giving some pretty pointed advice to his readers. He’s reminding them, and us, that no one is guaranteed tomorrow. We’re like a “puff of smoke,” appearing briefly and then disappearing (James 4:14). That means we need a good dose of humility in the way we think about our lives, especially as we discern our plans and submit them to the Lord.

A humble disposition is the foundation of all good decision-making. As James tells us, it’s shortsighted to make long-range plans or to propose that we will “go into such and such a town, spend a year there doing business, and make a profit” without even consulting God in the matter (4:13). Acknowledging our dependence on God can help us turn to him first, especially when we’re making a big decision.

It’s a process that we embark upon with the Lord, with the goal of having our will and desires mesh with his. We can start by acknowledging our hopes and plans. Then we can pray and listen for how God might be leading us. We seek his wisdom and guidance; we open our hearts and wills to what moves him and what he desires for us. Far from trying to convince God to bless the decision we’ve already made, we’re inviting him into our decision-making process, and we’re asking him to guide us because we don’t know what the future holds.

Of course, not every choice is a matter of discernment. You don’t need to pray over the question of what you’ll eat for breakfast or get all tied up trying to decide which Mass you’ll go to this weekend. You don’t need to hear an audible voice giving you permission to do something. But you do need the humility to invite the Lord into your daily life and decisions.

As you do that, you can have confidence that God knows and loves you. He knows the plans he has for you. And even if you don’t get a clear answer from God about a particular plan, you can take comfort knowing that you have placed your life in the hands of the One who holds the future.

“Lord, I am open to whatever you desire for me this day.”

James 4:13-17
Psalm 49:2-3, 6-11
Mark 9:38-40