James 4:15

‘Because you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that”.'

They should therefore live each day as though it might be their last, and recognise that every day that they have after that, is a gift from God, (for the truth is that every day someone somewhere falls dead, with medical experts not knowing why it happened). They ought then to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.” And if they do that they will not consider making gains so important. Note that he does not say, ‘if the Lord wills we will get gain'. For if they live in the light of eternity their perspectives will change. They will be more concerned with spiritual gain and with the Lord's will, and with doing good to those in need (James 4:17), because they will recognise that they may shortly have to give account.

(Paul writes to the Corinthians, "I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills" (1 Corinthians 4:19). "I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits" (1 Corinthians 16:7). On the other hand we must beware of simply saying, if the Lord wills' or ‘DV' in a way that results in it becoming a platitude. There is nothing wrong in it if it is sincere, but we must make sure that we really are taking it into account in what we do, otherwise it will lead to our own condemnation).