Is it possible to want to hold something so tight you risk hurting yourself? How do we do this? Many ways. Here are some categories where we’re tempted to do this:
Relationships. Jobs. Money. Hobbies. Things. Reputation. Approval of others.
We all know we do not control the future, but there’s still a little part of us—deep down—that thinks we do a little. We understand this is partially true because we still feel letdown, disappointment, anxiety, fear, and so much more. What are letdowns, etc., rooted in? Those things are rooted in expecting a future event (which is not necessarily bad in and of itself) based upon partial certainty that goes unmet.
Let’s illustrate this point: a man plans and takes an expensive family trip based on a bonus his employer has promised. However, while he was on the trip, the market turned, the company lost significant shares, and his employer was forced to delay his bonus. He is stuck with the bill from his trip, but does not have the resources to pay for it. While this is a simple example, it shows the error of this man’s thinking. He based decisions on a future reality that he did not control.
What are the principles for us today? How do we navigate life’s uncertainties?
Let’s answer this by looking at…
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
James 4:13-17
One of the key lessons James teaches his readers is to adopt a gospel-centered perspective on life and circumstances. The trials we face, according to James, are God’s means of producing something (maturity) we would otherwise not possess. He goes on to argue that not having a Christ-centered perspective is rooted in doubting (being a judge) God’s process, and that we should instead seek God’s wisdom (which is from above). In summary, James wants his readers (and all Christians) to view life in surrender to God, as the ultimate Judge and Guide, while living with faith expressed by loving sacrifice.
How does this help us navigate what’s ahead in life? In the passage above, we’re given explicit instructions:
- Negative: Don’t presume.
- Positive: Do the next right thing.
Don’t Presume
What does it mean to presume? In basic terms, it means expecting something in the future without having full certainty. Presumption is something we should avoid for three reasons:
- Limited knowledge.
- Notice what James says about not knowing what tomorrow will bring. James wants Christians to be settled on the fact that our knowledge is limited. This does not mean we do not plan, but it does mean we plan with open hands (Proverbs 16:9 — many are the plans in the mind of man, but it is the Lord who directs his steps).
- Limited time.
- Next, James points out that our life is a mist and then vanishes. We learn this also in Ecclesiastes. However, when we are young, it is hard to embrace, isn’t it? The older we get, the more this sinks in, yet we still hold onto expectations that keep us from trusting even when we are older.
- Limited control.
- Boasting in arrogance is assuming control over the outcome, which we all know is not reality. Yet, we find ourselves with deep desires and expectations for relationships, jobs, positions, influence, and so much more. We love to control.
If we are not to presume, what are we to do?
Do the Next Right Thing
What does it mean to do the next best thing? It first means we trust God and then do the next good thing today.
- Entrust ourselves to God’s will.
- By saying “Lord willing…” before a statement, we often think we’re good to go. But we all know that is just a formulaic way of feeling good on the outside, while we still have deep-seated expectations that lack ultimate trust in God. Entrusting ourselves to God’s will is manifested supremely in a peaceful mind and surrender of expectations to the Lord’s sovereign grace. It looks like not achieving something, yet understanding that the end is not yet written. It means not being accepted, yet trusting God’s plan for another path is superior. It means facing failure, yet believing it is an opportunity to learn. It means being diagnosed with a terminal disease, yet believing the best is yet to come. And so, James instructs us to submit…if the Lord wills, and in the meantime…
- Do the next good thing today.
- The next right or good thing is James’ advice to Christians as we live life. Again, this does not mean that we do not plan, but planning must not inhibit our present faithfulness. We all have opportunities within our families, jobs, friendships, cities, and more to do the right things. This was practically applied to me this week. I did not feel like running one morning. I was tired, a little discouraged, and blah. Yet, it was then that I recalled this passage and took the first step. By the end of the run, I was pleased, motivated, and clear. It may not be running for you. Practically, it could be an apology you have been avoiding. It could be a text or phone call you have kicked down the road. There are myriad good things in our lives that we could be doing today. And that is the point James is making: do the right thing, and inevitably the outcome will honor God.
Gospel Application
In the Garden, Jesus concluded His prayer with “…not My will be done…” and then did the next right thing, leading to our salvation. Here is the heart James wants us to have: submission and obedience.
Christ’s life, death, resurrection, ascension, and mediation enabled the Holy Spirit to indwell sinful humans by His grace through faith in Him. Indeed, it is the gospel that enables us to have certainty in uncertainty and the power to walk in obedience even when the outcome is unfavorable and expectations are not met.
God is still working.
Will you trust Him today? And do the next right thing?
— March 5, 2026