January 16: Letting God Lead
Scripture
We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. 2 People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. 3 Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. 4 The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster. 5 The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished. 6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil. 7 When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them. 8 Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. 9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
-Proverbs 16:1-9
In these verses, Solomon gently reminds us of something we all need to hear from time to time: we are not the center of the universe. We make plans, set goals, and feel pretty confident about what we think is best. And to be fair, planning isn’t a bad thing. But Solomon reminds us that God sees what we can’t. He understands not only where we’re going, but why we’re going there. What feels right to us may not always be what’s best and that’s where the Lord lovingly steps in.
Solomon isn’t telling us to stop making plans. He assumes that we will. What he’s getting at is how we make them. We were never meant to plan in isolation. We are invited to bring our decisions, ambitions, and hopes before the Lord and ask for His wisdom. When we commit our plans to Him, something shifts. Our lives begin to line up not just with what we want, but with what God knows is truly good, for us and for His Kingdom.
A lot of this comes down to humility and a healthy fear of the Lord. Not fear as in being afraid of God, but awe, reverence, and trust. Pride puts us in the driver’s seat and makes it hard to hear correction. But reverence keeps our hearts open and teachable. Solomon reminds us that walking with the Lord leads us away from evil and toward integrity, peace, and right relationships, even when life isn’t easy.
And then Solomon reframes how we define success. Real meaning isn’t found in having more, achieving more, or accumulating what the world tells us we need. It’s found in walking honestly and faithfully with God. It’s better to have less with godliness than more gained through compromise. We can make our plans, but we hold them loosely, trusting the Lord to guide our steps. And when we do, we discover that the best path forward is the one He leads us on.
Reflection
1. What plans are you currently making, and how intentionally are you inviting the Lord to shape or redirect them?
2. Are there areas where pride, self-reliance, or control may be crowding out trust in God’s wisdom and timing?
3. What would it look like this week to value faithfulness and integrity over success, recognition, or gain?
Prayer
Take time to acknowledge God as the One who sees your heart and knows what is truly good for you. Ask Him to help you surrender your plans, ambitions, and desires into His hands. Invite the Lord to order your steps, align your motives with His Kingdom, and establish the work of your hands according to His purposes.