Proverbs 16:7-9
“When God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand. Far better to be right and poor than to be wrong and rich. We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.”
Proverbs 16:7-9 MSG
Most of us don't want to spend our lives doing little more than taking up space and breathing air. We want our lives to matter. The challenge is finding the right ways to do that and the right places to invest our time, interest, efforts, influence, and money.
The Scriptures speak with a clear voice about this issue. We have two choices: We will live for either God or something else that is fleeting and inconsequential, not eternal. We can't serve two masters.
We can make all the plans we can imagine, pursue all the goals we can conjure up, and seek to achieve fame and fortune for ourselves. However, all those efforts will become empty if God is not behind them.
These verses emphasize that while we can make plans in our hearts, ultimately God is in control of our steps, and living righteously, even with little, is better than being wealthy without integrity, reminding us to trust God's guidance and prioritize living according to His will over our own desires for material wealth or personal control over our lives.
Often the plans we make are deficient and nearsighted, but God in His grace often brings us to our desired destination in a very different way. Sometimes the goals we set are too limited or too limiting, but God will bring us to a place of fulfilment that we could not have thought possible.
Sometimes the plans we make may be good and honourable, but God knows the end from the beginning and may take us to a different destination with a different expected outcome. But if we are living by faith and trusting His guidance, He will bring us to the place that He knows is best, not only in this world but in the eternal ages to come.
However carefully we consider our plans, we have a very limited view of the future. We do not know what will happen in the coming weeks and months. Indeed, we have no control over any of our tomorrows. But our times are in His hands, and because God can see the end from the beginning, we should be ready to bathe every plan we make in prayer and place each desire of our heart into His safe-keeping.
God not only knows the future, but holds the future in His hands. How wise, therefore, to use our rational thought and God-given free-will to plan wisely, to the best of our ability, while recognizing that while God may permit our plan to move forward, He may overrule it or even advance it further. But what a comfort to know that while we have the freedom to make our plans, the Lord will direct our feet into the way that is best for us.
When we seek God and His Kingdom first, we love Him and live for His purposes rather than our own; then God will be at work in our lives to bring about His lasting and eternal good. This is why a relationship with God as our Abba Father is so important. Being led by the Holy Spirit is essential if our lives are going to make an eternal difference!!!
Father thank You for this day and that we have the freedom to make future plans and yet have the wonderful assurance that You are the One Who directs our steps. Lord let Your blessings be my friend and family’s portion today. Lord thank You that we have been given the free-will to make choices in life, and a sound mind with which to think and consider different options. Lord we pray that You would give us the wisdom to make the right choices in life. Lord use my friend to be someone’s blessing today.
Father, we love You. Amen !
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