Don’t let fear stop You from making plans, Proverbs 16:3

Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3 God’s plans and your plans can work together to accomplish the purpose he has for you. Nehemiah is a great example of this. Here are three steps that Nehemiah modeled in developing a life plan. Step 3: Expect fear, but don’t let it stop you. When the king saw Nehemiah approaching, he asked him why he looked so sad. In those days, it was a crime to be sad before the king, yet Nehemiah was about to ask for a leave of absence to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the city. Nehemiah did two things with his fear: • He expressed his feelings. Nehemiah replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins” (Nehemiah 2:3 NLT). Admitting how you feel is how you grow. • He prayed quickly before speaking. “The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’ Then I prayed to the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 2:4 NIV). Sometimes prayer can just be quickly and silently saying, “Help!” There is a myth that godly people are never afraid. That’s nonsense! Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is moving ahead in spite of your fear. Step 4: Establish a clear target. Nehemiah got specific in his request to the king: “If it pleases the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city” (Nehemiah 2:5 NLT). To establish a specific goal, you need to ask yourself three questions: What do I want to be? What do I want to do? What do I want to have? Step 5: Set a deadline. Nehemiah 2:6 says, “Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, ‘How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?’ It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time” (NIV). Even though it was ultimately God who orchestrated the timing, Nehemiah still “set a time” so that he had a clear plan. If your goal doesn’t have a deadline, then it’s not a goal. Ask, “How long is it going to take?” Then put it in your calendar. Remember, a dream without a deadline is an empty wish. It won’t go anywhere.