How To Live in Humble Dependence on God
Live in humble dependence on God because life is short.
Learn how to live humbly and depend on God from James 4:13-17.
Living in humble dependence on God is so important to consider how suddenly life can end. All you have to do is scan through the obituaries and to find that not everyone is elderly when they pass away.
Being ready is the only thing in life that counts!
Life can end at any moment or extend into our 90’s.
Each moment we are given breath is the breath of grace.
Living in humble dependence on God is what we are learning in this last post on James. Life is too short to live our way instead of God’s!
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Let’s dig right in!
Digging Deeper: James 4:13-17
Key Verse: Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14
I’ll Do It My Way!!
One Thing is Sure: We can’t get out of life alive!
That is a sobering thought but too often we live as if we will never die or have to give account for how we lived.
We plan our day but do we humbly depend on God for direction?
If you get nothing else out of what I am sharing today, I want you, to live in humble dependence on God for direction and guidance.
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; James 4:13
My husband and I often make plans to go on a trip to visit family or get away for a few days.
James rebuked the kind of heart that lives and makes its plans apart from a constant awareness of the hand of God, and with an underestimation of our own limitations (you do not know what will happen tomorrow). ~David Guzic~
We have no idea what will happen tomorrow. We unconsciously think we can control our future.
Our life may go on uneventfully for some time and our plans may work out just fine.
Then one day our whole life could change in just one moment!
Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14
The whole idea that life is a vapor or shadow is a figure of speech commonly used in New Testament times.
You might remember the story Jesus told about the rich man who made his great plans for the future, and foolishly lost it all when his soul was required of him Luke 12:16
How to Live in Humble Dependence on God
James is not saying we should stop making wise plans for our future but that we should humbly depend on God’s will for our lives.
“There are two great certainties about things that shall come to pass – one is that God knows, and the other is that we do not know.” ~Spurgeon~
James asks us to consider the fragility of human life. He is not saying we should not make our plans. When you plan for the future, it’s wise to seek the Lord’s will.
We live and move only at the permission of God even if we exclude or forget to include Him in our plans.
James isn’t trying to discourage us from planning but from planning and doing life apart from our humble reliance on God.
I challenge you to live each day as if it were your last. You don’t know.
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. James 4:15-16
Life is short, be intentional about how you live your life.
I am going to change my perspective on my tomorrow. This starts in my thoughts or my thought process.
Just including the phrase, “Lord willing” gives credit to God who holds my future, and then choosing to live in humble dependence on God.
Life is too short to live any other way than being humbly dependent on God!
Did this study speak to your heart and life?
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Perfect Course for Busy Moms
Short Video Lessons + Workbook
This amazing video course will help you find solutions for the everyday trials you face. Grow in your relationships as you draw closer to Jesus by studying the Book of James.
Thank you for confirmation; Life is not to be taken for granted
Linda, I am so thankful that this confirmed things in your life. Have a very special day!
you know, for a long time I would feel guilty about making plans for my future because I felt like I was somehow disobeying God because of what I saw in that verse. It took years for me to really understand that God is not asking me to stop planning ahead, but to stay in his will so that whatever is ahead is just what he had planned for me all along
When I started adding in my bible time I only had about 10 minutes… and it was so hard to squeeze it in… I even started putting a calendar reminder on my phone… but the Lord is amazing, and He has created opportunities for my family and our schedules that I now have almost 45 minutes every day to sit in His word and His presence and recharge…. it’s such a blessing…
Hi Marissa! I love how you started squeezing about 10 minutes in for your time with the Lord and He helped you carve out time until you have 45 minutes. Recharging with the Lord is such a good thing before your day begins.
After all I’ve been through, now 39 but feel 50+, I can’t imagine not depending on the Lord. Sometimes I feel like, “Hey, God. Yeah…I know…it’s me again?”
Erin, I don’t know what you’ve been through but isn’t it wonderful to be able to depend on God? Trusting the Lord is the bottom line. I just want to encourage you to keep your eyes on Him even when you are going through something hard.
I love this post! it speaks about how i live my life, no matter what situation i might find my self i am always reminded that Life is short.
Thank you for sharing!
Hi Nita! Yes, life is short and goes by quickly even if we live into our 90s. I always think how short that is in light of eternity. Thank you so much for stopping over!