Be Real - Surrender Your Plans
Today, we will be taking a break away from our study in 1 Samuel to address a topic relevant for most people today. Each of us have had plans changed or cancelled as a result of the Covid-19 virus and we have little certainty or control with future plans. Today, I want to encourage us that the best way to process the uncertainty and changes is to surrender our plans…to God. Why would we want to do this and how does this look?
Our text is Proverbs 16:9 – “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
“The heart of man plans his way” - The heart of man refers to our internal existence where our desires and interests our housed. Plans are our thoughts and efforts to chart a course through our habits and the actions we take. Not everyone is proficient in planning but each of us has desires and interests that we seek after. More often than not, our plans are changed or impacted outside of our intentions.
Here are a few brief thoughts on this verse so far:
We are not forbidden or discouraged from making plans. In fact, we are called to be diligent with our time and resources, the key motivation being to honor God. (Col. 3:23)
Our focus when planning should not be autonomy from God but a close dialogue with Him. We should not trust in our planning efforts alone. We have limited knowledge and power, meaning our planning is imperfect and will not always go according to plan. Our planning should include God and be for God’s purposes (Pr. 16:3).
“but the Lord establishes his steps” – The LORD is the self-existant One (had no beginning and needs no help to exist) who created all things. He establishes means that He is assembling and securing plans on our behalf.
Here are some brief thoughts on this verse:
We can rest in God’s help because unlike us…He is all-powerful and all-knowing! Furthermore, He is simultaneously present everywhere, having complete knowledge of what we are going through.
The key thought in this verse is that though we have plans and desires it is God who organizes and secures events and plans for His glory and our benefit. The challenge and key thought in this verse is for us to surrender our plans to God and trust Him!
Be Real – We have little to no control over our plans in this time of uncertainty. Let’s surrender our plans to God and trust that He is at work in our circumstances for His glory and our benefit.