Virginia is a very intelligent person especially in social matters. I often bounce off my thoughts on her just to pick her mind.

The other day, I asked her, “What is the difference between a Program and a Project?”

One of the things she said was ‘a project is time based while a program is more longer term.’

Reflecting on that answer I started seeing how the things that happen to us or we get involved in during our lives can be viewed as either a project or program.

But how?

Think with me of anything, say going to school, working on a job, raising a family, or even a small task of going shopping. All these things have one thing in common, they have have a start date, and an end date. Even each of our very lives on earth has a start date, and end date, birth date, and dying day.

Does that therefore mean that everything that happens to us is in the category of ‘Project’?

No!

And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Rom 8:28 (BSB)

One other thing that differentiates a program from project is that a program is made up of several projects. Of course illustrations like these are limited, but please stay with me.

Looking at Rom 8:28, you will notice the two categories , project and program in ‘all things’ and ‘His purpose’ respectively. The ‘all things’ are time based while ‘His purpose’ is eternal.

This means that whatever is happening to you right now, or has happened in the past, or even in the future in the category of all things is being worked by God in fulfilling His eternal purpose.

Good or bad, the experiences you go through may not feel like there is any relationship with what God is working in you, but rest assured that God’s purpose for you that love Him will not be thwarted. His purpose is to conform all things to Christ, that He’d be All and in all.

We also note something else in the quoted verse, that all things are plural while His purpose is singular.

“But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42 (BSB)

Does that mean we ought to abandon everything of the temporal kind and withdraw into seclusion waiting for God to work out His purpose in us?

Again, No!

Going to school, going to work, shopping, etc are necessary for this life, but they are temporal. It means that our heart focus is is to be singular on His purpose. It has less to do with what we are doing or involved in externally, and more with where our heart is.

How is that possible?

In the days of Martha and Mary referred above in Luke 10:42, there were two options available. One could either be at the feet of Jesus listening to Him, or in the kitchen taking care of necessary affairs of this life, but not both.

In our day however, the choices have been made easier as we can take care of temporal affairs as we are involved in the needful at the same time. Jesus has taken His abode in us that we can focus on Him as we go about taking care of ‘projects’.

Let me leave you with a quote I picked from Jeanne Guyon, “You see, by simply turning within to your spirit, you begin to acquire the habit of being near to the Lord and far from all else.”

May we be found dwelling in His presence at all times.