Carmen Horne

New Lens, New Life

You Can’t Plan Life

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Picture illustrating someone writing in a planner to plan life

The devo below from “Jesus Calling” reminds me of advice my mom gave me so many times. “Carmen, you can’t plan life. No matter how hard you try.” Y’all, I try hard. Way too hard. Mom and I had different personalities. She was not a planner, and it served her well…most of the time. 

I am learning to trust more. I want to stop the craziness of strategizing (and visualizing) every negative impact to mitigate it. I. Me. What in the whirl? Fear. Pride. Arrogance. Distrust. I’m still working with the Holy Spirit to sort it out. I am so thankful that in Jesus, there is no condemnation. He loves, corrects, forgives, empowers, leads, and loves some more. He knows our hearts. It’s all about our heart.

So, if you are like me and keep struggling with some hard stuff, remember that Jesus sets us free to stay free. He has committed Himself to help us. We do not carry this burden alone.

“I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you [will continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of his return]. Philippians 1:6, AMP

“God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him.” Philippians 2:13, CEV

Friend, that’s shouting grounds, right there! God is working in us to grow us, and He ain’t givin’ up. 

Through it all, through it all
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus
I’ve learned to trust in God
Through it all, through it all
I’ve learned to depend upon his word. ~ Ray Boltz “Through it All”

P.S. I have discovered this about all my mitigation measures. When faced with the situation, I usually do something completely different than the plan. Mom was right. We can’t plan life.

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September 17
JESUS CALLING


YOU WILL NOT FIND MY PEACE by engaging in excessive planning, attempting to control what will happen to you in the future. That is a commonly practiced form of unbelief. When your mind spins with multiple plans, Peace may sometimes seem to be within your grasp; yet it always eludes you. Just when you think you have prepared for all possibilities, something unexpected pops up and throws things into confusion.

I did not design the human mind to figure out the future. That is beyond your capability. I crafted your mind for continual communication with Me. Bring Me all your needs, your hopes, and fears. Commit everything into My care. Turn from the path of planning to the path of Peace.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 

—1 Peter 5:6–7
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. 
—Proverbs 16:9
Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. 
—Psalm 37:5 nkjv




Hearing God Speak to Us-One

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There are a lot of voices bombarding our hearts with information. Gosh, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. It is so hard to understand what’s truth — or feelings and emotions. Most of it, I think, is a mixture of it all. 

Some of these voices are helpful and educational. Some of them are just confusing and misleading. Who can we trust to speak into our lives? 

The Person I want to hear from the most is God. I am reading a great book, Hearing God by Dallas Willard. And, I just finished Priscilla Shirer’s Bible study, Discerning the Voice of God. 

I thought as I go through Hearing God, I would share some great quotes. Not only from Dallas Willard but also Priscilla Shirer.

I mean, who doesn’t need a little help in learning the skill of listening and hearing the Holy Spirit speak? 

Generally we are in God’s will whenever we are leading the kind of life he wants for us. And that leaves a lot of room for initiative on our part, which is essential: our individual initiatives are central to his will for us.

Willard, Dallas, Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God, page 13

In the most primary of senses the word of God is simply God’s speaking.

ibid. page 19

Priscilla Shirer begins her updated version of Discerning the Voice of God with obedience. She writes that it starts there.

God doesn’t speak to be heard. He speaks to be obeyed.

Priscilla Shirer, Discerning the Voice of God: How to recognize when God speaks, a quote from video teaching, week one

A surrendered heart rolls out the red carpet for God to speak.

ibid

When my momma cleared her throat or coughed in church, you can bet my head turned her direction. I know her voice. I didn’t need to see her; I am her child.

Jesus tells us that He knows us and that He is the good Shepherd. A good shepherd takes on the responsibility of ensuring his sheep know him. He does that in multi-faceted ways.

I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Jesus — John 10: 14, 27 NLT

Y’all, I’m going to throw this out there, and you catch it if it fits. The Bible tells us that if we are not watchful, we will be influenced and deceived. Paul writes to the church in Ephesus and motivates them to keep growing spiritually. With spiritual maturity (just like emotional maturity), there comes a deeper level of introspection and surrender to God. Here’s what Paul says:

{When we are no longer immature}, We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

Ephesians 4:14 NLT, text in bracket is mine

Friend, we gotta stay prayed up, Bible-read up, and connected to truth. If not, we will be had. I’ve been had, and it hurts.

The Word of God confirms itself. Make sure what you are hearing and saying Amen to is biblical. It’s important. Our victorious life depends on it.