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Stewards Plan by Faith By Howard Rich

God builds your faith as you plan.

Christians often feel a tension between developing a plan and faith, resulting in an artificial divide when it comes to making decisions as a steward of what God has entrusted into our care.  This tension plays itself out by implying that planning is a secular exercise and relying on faith is a more sacred path.  When a steward-minded leader divorces her faith in Christ from her practical decision-making, her North Star shifts; her path can become inconsistent and move in conflicting directions.

God’s Word

For the Christian in a leadership role, planning and faith were not intended to be two paths separated and competing with one another.  Proverbs 27:23-24 encourages us to,

“be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.”

The passage, continuing on to verse 27, weaves planning together with God’s provision by saying we should be prepared when our circumstances change, but God is always the source of that provision.  God will make sure there is enough when we rely on Him.

Divine Process

God often builds our faith in Him through the process of planning, especially when the plan is conceived, birthed and carried out with Scripture and prayer.  God weaves our lives with His purpose in wonderful ways that grow our faith as we submit to his Lordship in every aspect of our decisions as His faithful stewards.

The Reliable Navigator

There are times when I look at the night sky and think of what it was like to travel without the advantage of a GPS, especially for those navigating the oceans.  I think of sailors using the North Star as their immovable reference point as they plotted their course across the sea.  I imagine these sailors planning for their journey, making sure they had sufficient supplies to get them to their destination, and casting off into the dangers that lie ahead, believing God was in the purpose and planning of the journey; He would make their path straight and bring them home safely.  God provided the tools of navigation when He created the stars.

The main reason sailors use the North Star as a navigation tool is it never moves; it is a reliable, unshakable reference point.  For a steward-minded leader, that unmovable reference is Jesus.  What better way to understand the plans our Lord has for us as His stewards than to seek him in Scripture and prayer?

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Howard Rich is the CFO of Global Disciples.  Howard is a life-long advocate of generous living and desires to see Christians lead from a heart of stewardship and generosity.

 

Now Available – Read the Fall 2019 edition of Outcomes Magazine

 

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