--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow…" description: "\"“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..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/kevin-deyoung-1086_grocery-store_come-now-you-who-say-today-or-tomorrow-w_2902079.jpg" --- # Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into… ![“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…” quote by Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/kevin-deyoung-1086_grocery-store_come-now-you-who-say-today-or-tomorrow-w_2902079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/kevin-deyoung-1086_grocery-store_come-now-you-who-say-today-or-tomorrow-w_2902079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/kevin-deyoung-1086_grocery-store_come-now-you-who-say-today-or-tomorrow-w_2902079.jpg) > ““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.” (James 4:13–15) This is one of the clearest texts on the sovereignty of God. If we make it to the grocery store this afternoon, according to James, the Lord willed it. If we live to be a hundred, the Lord willed it. If we live to be only forty-five, the Lord willed it. We don’t have to say “If the Lord wills” after every sentence, but it must be in our heads and hearts. We must live our lives believing that all of our plans and strategies are subject to the immutable will of God. Therefore, we should be humble in looking to the future because we don’t control it; God does. And we should be hopeful in looking to the future because God controls it, not us. This brings us back to anxiety, our tendency to live out the future before it arrives. We must renounce our sinful desire to know the future and to be in control. We are not gods. We walk by faith, not by sight. We risk because God does not risk. We walk into the future in God-glorifying confidence, not because the future is known to us but because it is known to God. And that’s all we need to know. Worry about the future is not simply a character tic, it is the sin of unbelief, an indication that our hearts are not resting in the promises of God.”” [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human plans are provisional; humility and faith acknowledge divine sovereignty over the future. **In simple terms:** Trust God, not your own plans. Key Takeaway Live with humility, trusting God’s will. Themes faith humility uncertainty trust spirituality Mood reverent reflective encouraging Type scriptural philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - financial decisions - health goals - relationship commitments Key Concepts theology philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does trusting God look like in daily choices? - How can you balance faith with responsible planning? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on divine control may discourage proactive effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grocery store](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grocery-store/) [Little time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-time/) [Looking to the future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-to-the-future/) [Promises of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promises-of-god/) [Sovereignty of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereignty-of-god/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Walk by faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walk-by-faith/) [Worry About The Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-about-the-future/) ## Related quotes > [“We don’t have to say “If the Lord wills” after every sentence, but it must be in our heads and hearts. We must live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/we-don-t-have-to-say-if-the-lord-wills-after-every-sentence-but-it/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [We walk into the future in God-glorifying confidence, not because the future is known to us but because it is known to God. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/we-walk-into-the-future-in-god-glorifying-confidence-not-because-the-2/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [We walk into the future in God-glorifying confidence, not because the future is known to us but because it is known to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/we-walk-into-the-future-in-god-glorifying-confidence-not-because-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Obsessing over the future is not how God wants us to live, because showing us the future is not God's way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/obsessing-over-the-future-is-not-how-god-wants-us-to-live-because/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“Worry about the future is not simply a character tic, it is the sin of unbelief, an indication that our hearts are not resting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/worry-about-the-future-is-not-simply-a-character-tic-it-is-the-sin-of/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [All hurricanes are acts of God because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/all-hurricanes-are-acts-of-god-because-god-controls-the-heavens-i/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Well, if God controls time, then all time is pre-decided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-darko/well-if-god-controls-time-then-all-time-is-pre-decided/) [Donnie Darko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-darko/) > [If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/if-you-believe-in-a-god-who-controls-the-big-things-you-have-to/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“These black times go as they come and we do not know how they come or why they go. But we know that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/these-black-times-go-as-they-come-and-we-do-not-know-how-they-come-or/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [Yes, God controls our lives, but He only chooses whether we deserve to live in pain,or die for our sins. He can't make people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yes-god-controls-our-lives-but-he-only-chooses-whether-we-deserve-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If the all powerful god controls satan he is an accomplice, and if he doesn't, he is not an all powerful god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/if-the-all-powerful-god-controls-satan-he-is-an-accomplice-and-if-he/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I believe God controls the universe. I don't believe biology works in an uncontrolled fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-believe-god-controls-the-universe-i-don-t-believe-biology-works-in/) [Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/) > [“EXPLANATION: God controls the final outcome of all we do. We are accountable to carry out our work with diligence and discipline, not laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/explanation-god-controls-the-final-outcome-of-all-we-do-we-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Give thanks in all circumstances because God controls all things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/give-thanks-in-all-circumstances-because-god-controls-all-things/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“from my eyes. I sacrificed so much for you, but God will replenish. Everything you took from me, God will restore back to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-brown-white/from-my-eyes-i-sacrificed-so-much-for-you-but-god-will-replenish/) Shonda Brown White ## More by Kevin DeYoung > [“Worry about the future is not simply a character tic, it is the sin of unbelief, an indication that our hearts are not resting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/worry-about-the-future-is-not-simply-a-character-tic-it-is-the-sin-of/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [There is nothing gray about whether a follower of Christ should see 50 Shades of Grey. This is a black and white issue. Don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/there-is-nothing-gray-about-whether-a-follower-of-christ-should-see/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [A catechism is simply a tool for teaching the fundamentals of the faith. 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But one is the root and the other the fruit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/faith-and-good-works-are-both-necessary-but-one-is-the-root-and-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) [Explore all 295 Kevin DeYoung quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) ## More Grocery store quotes > [“I don’t mean to interrupt your gossip free-for-all, but do you know if there’s a non-GMO or organic section in this grocery store? This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-march/i-don-t-mean-to-interrupt-your-gossip-free-for-all-but-do-you-know-if/) [Meghan March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-march/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. 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They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/few-americans-have-ever-met-their-congresspeople-they-don-t-see-them/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [Money is like a child—rarely unaccompanied. When it disappears, look to those who were supposed to be keeping an eye on it while you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/money-is-like-a-child-rarely-unaccompanied-when-it-disappears-look-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 549 Grocery store quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grocery-store/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“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.” (James 4:13–15) This is one of the clearest texts on the sovereignty of God. If we make it to the grocery store this afternoon, according to James, the Lord willed it. If we live to be a hundred, the Lord willed it. If we live to be only forty-five, the Lord willed it. We don’t have to say “If the Lord wills” after every sentence, but it must be in our heads and hearts. We must live our lives believing that all of our plans and strategies are subject to the immutable will of God. Therefore, we should be humble in looking to the future because we don’t control it; God does. And we should be hopeful in looking to the future because God controls it, not us. This brings us back to anxiety, our tendency to live out the future before it arrives. We must renounce our sinful desire to know the future and to be in control. We are not gods. We walk by faith, not by sight. We risk because God does not risk. We walk into the future in God-glorifying confidence, not because the future is known to us but because it is known to God. And that’s all we need to know. 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