For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live , and do this, or that.
The book of James is a practical, no-nonsense letter written to early Christian communities, attributed to James — a leader of the early church in Jerusalem who was likely Jesus' own brother. In the verses surrounding this one, James is addressing people who make bold, confident plans without any acknowledgment that human life is fragile and God's purposes are larger than their own blueprints. His correction is simple and direct: instead of that bravado, learn to say 'If it is the Lord's will.' This is not a call to fatalism, paralysis, or passive resignation — James isn't saying don't make plans. He's saying plans should be held with open hands, with an honest acknowledgment that God may have a different and ultimately better route than the one you've carefully mapped out.
Lord, I make plans as if the future is mine to control. Teach me to hold my calendar, my hopes, and my ambitions with open hands — not because I'm afraid to want things, but because I trust that your will is better than my best idea. Loosen my grip a little today. Amen.
There's a Latin phrase — Deo volente, God willing — that used to appear regularly in letters, contracts, and everyday speech. People abbreviated it 'D.V.' It was a quiet, habitual acknowledgment that plans are proposals, not decrees. Somewhere along the way, that posture got crowded out by the confidence of calendars and five-year roadmaps. We plan as if enough preparation equals certainty. Then a phone call comes. A diagnosis. A silence where a voice used to be. The plan dissolves and we're left wondering why we were so sure. James isn't calling you to be vague about your dreams or passive about your responsibilities. You can plan carefully, work hard, and want things deeply while still holding all of it loosely. 'If it is the Lord's will' isn't a theological disclaimer to cover your bases — it's a daily practice of remembering you are not ultimately in control of the next breath, let alone next year. Strangely, that's not terrifying. It means you don't have to carry the crushing weight of making everything work out. You just have to show up faithfully.
James contrasts boastful, God-excluding planning with a humble acknowledgment of God's will — what's the practical difference between confident planning and the kind of arrogance James is warning against?
Think about your biggest current plans or goals — how tightly are you holding them? What would it look like to hold them more openly without abandoning them entirely?
Does saying 'if it is the Lord's will' ever feel like a spiritual cop-out or a way to avoid real commitment? How do you balance genuine surrender with genuine responsibility?
When a plan has fallen apart in your life, how did that experience affect your relationships — both with God and with the people who shared that plan with you?
What is one specific plan or hope you're gripping tightly right now that you could intentionally bring before God this week, genuinely open to redirection?
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psalms 37:5
Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
Romans 1:10
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Hebrews 3:7
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
Job 22:28
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
Lamentations 3:37
There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
Proverbs 19:21
Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and we will do this or that."
AMP
Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
ESV
Instead, [you ought] to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.'
NASB
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
NIV
Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
NKJV
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”
NLT
Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that."
MSG