The Balance Between Faith and Planning Ahead > 목회자칼럼

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A question came in a while back from a reader who asked the following: 

“Should we embark on a project without first counting the total costs and later 

believing that God will provide?” Two very powerful verses came to mind almost 

immediately, which I think will help in answering this question fully. 

The first is found in Luke 14:28-30 (NLT): But don’t begin until you count the cost. 

For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to 

see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the 

foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 

They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford 

to finish it!’ The second is found in Hebrews 11:1 (NIV): Now faith is being sure of 

what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Jesus made some very clear 

points in these three short verses recorded in Luke. He was explaining that being a 

follower of Christ takes commitment and there are costs that must be considered. 

He uses an example of constructing a building because the people could relate with 

the significance that planning has in the building process. 

But the question that begs to be asked is that where does faith come in if we simply 

make every decision a calculated decision? 

If we have to plan every step, are we not exercising the faith we read about in 

Hebrews 11:1? The important thing to understand is that verse one of Hebrews 

leads into the Hall of Faith, highlighting the spiritual giants who lived a life of faith.

• Their hope was placed on greater things – not of the things in this world.

• Their certainty was founded in the faithfulness of God, not the provisions of this world.

Yes, we depend on God to provide for all our needs, but that doesn’t mean that we 

are exempt from planning ahead. In fact, it is foolish not to plan. 

Proverbs 21:5 (NIV) says: The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste 

leads to poverty. I think one of the greatest ways to exercise our faith is to prepare 

the best that we can before embarking on a new goal or idea. Moving forward with 

blind faith is a dangerous habit and can even be an excuse for laziness in 

planning. Understanding the costs to a project will allow you to make the very 

best of what you’ve been given. This will build your faith even stronger as you 

approach God knowing that you’ve been a diligent steward of the resources 

He’s provided. What are your thoughts?

How should we balance having faith and planning ahead?