Proverbs Devotion - Day 19

Are you a planner? That is a question that is likely to mean different things to different people. Maybe you answer immediately that you are a planner. You have every second of every day planned out from now until the day you die. Maybe you are inclined to say you are definitely not a planner. You simply go with the flow and do not concern yourself with the future. Or maybe you are somewhere in between these two extremes, and there are some things you plan and some you do not. Honestly, whether you would classify yourself as a planner or not, we all have plans or goals for the future. That is not to say we necessarily take steps to achieve those goals every day, but we do have goals or plans for what the future may one day bring.

Proverbs 19 speaks directly to this desire that we each have to feel some semblance of control over our future by planning for it. We have plans for things like marriage, children, careers, homes, retirement, or even small things like what we will eat for lunch. We have plans that are many and varied, and they are all subject to the decree of God. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” We have our plans, but our plans are not certain. What is certain are the purposes of God. God’s decree is found both explicitly and implicitly throughout the Scriptures. It refers to the eternal and unchangeable plan by which God has ordained every meticulous thing that shall come to pass. This includes the plans of our daily lives.

There are two points that I want to make from this truth for us today. The first is that it is not wrong to make plans. In fact, other proverbs make it clear that planning is something that is wise and commendable. The issue with our planning comes when we treat our plans like they are certain and leave no room for them to be submitted to the plan and authority of God. This is what James means when he says that those who boast in their plans are being foolish (James 4:13-15). When you are making your plans, do so under the authority of God. Never be so set in your plans that you are either ignorant or, worse, rebellious to the purpose of God. We are here to serve the Lord and to glorify His name. That means that our plans must be held loosely in hand so that they can be used for the Lord’s purposes.

The second point I want to make is that when our plans inevitably change, do not get upset or angry with the Lord. The truth of His sovereignty over all things is not something that is meant to cause frustration and resentment. It is meant to bring peace and satisfaction. Even when our plans, no matter how well thought out or prepared, change, they are changed under the purposes of God. This means that we are to rest in the beautiful realization that our Father’s ways are wiser, deeper, and invariably directed toward our holiness and His ultimate glory. So, the question for us to consider today is: are we making plans, and if so, are we making those plans under the authority of God and for His purposes or are we making them according to our purposes? Be careful not to become so focused on your plans that you blind yourself to the purposes and working of God in all things.