Plans Fail WITHOUT Wisdom and Guidance

Success requires planning. Plain and simple. There is no way around it. From something as simple as getting your week’s groceries, to graduating from college, if you want to succeed, you need a plan. The more complicated your goal, the more more important it is to include guidance from people who have already walked the road before you.

When you head to the grocery store without a list, invariably, you will forget something–maybe even something important for that night’s dinner or a crucial element of your son’s science project.

If you are planning your semester’s college classes, you need guidance. There is a reason it’s called a degree plan. There is a reason universities have a counseling staff. So students can succeed!

Lots of planning goes into a family vacation. First you decide where you are going and how you plan to get there. If it’s Disney, a friend who understands Fast Pass can be an invaluable source of information for maximizing your time at the Parks.

Then there is the packing. Not just for yourself, but for everyone. If you have very small children, you’re taking even more gear. And you absolutely DO NOT want to forget Moocalow. (If you have children, you have a Moocalow.) Heaven help you if you leave him at home. There is no substitute. So you MUST plan, and you MUST PLAN WELL so you remember to bring him along.

Buying a home, starting a business, beginning a specific course of medical treatment. All these things (and many more) will have better (or even best) outcomes when we ask for help from others who have wisdom in these areas.

But we often think we can go it alone. We’re old enough, we’re wise enough. We’ve experienced enough of life and can handle making decisions on our own. (Kinda sounds like some teenagers I know.)

God knows how important it is for us to get input from others. So we wouldn’t forget, He reminded us several time that plans fail without wisdom and guidance.

Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22 ESV)

Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice. (Proverbs 20:18)

So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers. (Proverbs 24:6)

Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. (Proverbs 11:14)

Three of those verses are specifically focused on nations and war, but because of the first verse, we can extend the metaphor to our daily lives.

For the best wisdom, God makes Himself wholly available to us.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)

“Without finding fault” simply means that He’s not looking for a reason not to give you wisdom. If you need it and you ask Him for it, He will give it. It’s that simple.

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures … For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding … Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. (Proverbs 2:2-11)

Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. (Proverbs 4:5-7)

Life is not easy. It’s tough and often confusing. But God makes wisdom available. We may have to dig a little bit, but we will find it.

Life is confusing, but God gives wisdom. We may have to dig a little, but we will find it. Share on X

So what’s going on in your life right now? Are you facing a confusing situation? Do you need wisdom? Ask God! He’ll give you tons of wisdom! And ask the wise people that God has placed in your life. As you seek counsel, God will see to it that you have what you need to make the best decision.

(By the way, did you notice that almost all of the verses I referenced are from the book of Proverbs? Provers is the wisdom book! One of the most significant things my dad taught me to do was to read one Proverb every day. There are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs, so you can go through it easily every month!)