ANTS 201: PLANNING

Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. – Proverbs 6:8

REFERENCE
Proverbs 6:6-11

Yesterday we started our class on ‘Myrmecology’ (study on ants) as we look at the secrets of the ants’ success regardless of their size. Let’s take it further today. A careful examination of the ants shows that they are meticulous planners. So, their second success secret is ‘Planning.’

A plan is a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something. It is an intention or decision about what one is going to do. It is an arrangement made in advance in order to achieve a particular objective. Considering the ants, the objective is ‘winter survival;’ their planning therefore most likely involves going through their in-built ‘calendar’, checking the weather forecast, understanding the different seasons of life, raising a workforce and an exploration team to scout for opportunities. They understand that the right food for storage can only be obtained at particular seasons (summer); and if they miss it, they will starve and perish. So, they meticulously plan for their supplies in the summer, and gather their food in the harvest, which then sustains them all through the other seasons of the year. They understand times and seasons, and plan around it to work for their advantage.

Thus, another secret to living successfully in life is, ‘planning,’ which is an integral part of life. Having a vision without a plan is just a wish, because it is a plan that converts your vision into a strategy. Planning is the road map to the fulfillment of dreams. It is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now. Hence, it requires your sitting down and thinking, of weighing all the options, considering all the details, gradating your vision (into steps and stages), working out the proposed sequence of events and setting appropriate timings for the accomplishment of different segments of your dream. By failing to plan, you are planning to fail.

Whatever dream you have or vision that God has given you, PLAN IT! Have a short-term, mid-term and long-term plan. Take a cue from the ants; use your present life season to make provisions for the days to come. Success is not a product of chance, it is a product of choice; and it is a choice no one will make for you…You plan for it!

SCRIPTURE PHOTO

ADDITIONAL STUDY
Luke 14:28-32, Proverbs 16:9 & 21:5 and Proverbs 24:3-4 (TLB).

TO DO
Set aside some time. Get a jotter, notebook or an electronic notepad, and having identified the preferred future you see, begin to write out different plans, strategies or options to pursue to help you achieve the vision. Make advance arrangements on paper – who to call, where to go, what to get, what information is needed, what mentoring, what registration, how much is needed, how to source the funds, etc. Just write and write and write. Then pray over your plans, committing them to the Lord.