This chapter has several themes including God’s sovereign control.
“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” (v1, 3, 9, 20, 33)
My renewed learning for today can be summarized as this: “God is ultimately in control, nothing escapes His watchful eye, and all things (no matter how random they seem) are orchestrated for His glory.” I have a hard time remembering that in the midst of difficult circumstances. Sometimes medical diagnoses, workloads, relational issues, and life in general distract me from that truth.
Trust is at the core of every healthy relationship. How much do we trust God? Do we truly believe that He allows things to happen so that we may be drawn closer to Him? Do we think He’s punishing us? Or worse, do we believe He’s uninvolved in our lives?
Scripture assures us God is trustworthy – far more trustworthy than any human we’ll ever meet (and I’ve met some extremely trustworthy people). If we trust Him in ‘the good times’, it is even more important to trust Him in ‘the bad times’. Even though trusting God can seem impossible in the midst of brutal circumstances, I encourage us to take a step back, and solidify our trust in God. If we can learn to trust and praise Him in ‘the worst of times’, how much sweeter will our relationship with Him be in ‘the best of times’?
Father God, our Glorious and Praiseworthy Lord, You are generous and loving beyond our understanding. Thank you for being completely trustworthy, a steady rock upon whom we can build a foundation of faith. Please forgive our tendency to be untrusting and get distracted. May we learn to always trust in You, especially when life’s circumstances are difficult. May we learn from Jesus, who never once forsook You, even at the time of His death. We honor, glorify and praise You, forever and ever, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training