Devotion: Proverbs 19:21

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Numerous times this month we have explored the fact that we should be seeking God’s will and His greater purpose rather than seeking our own or being carried along by worldly thinking. Today we have that same message once more, this time from the book of Proverbs. We have now looked at a variety of verses from both the Old and New Testament that all have the same message – God’s overall purpose should be honored and it is His will for us that we should seek when trying to determine our own purpose.

I am a planner. I don’t like not having a plan A, plan B, and sometimes even a plan C in place for what I am doing. And while I know not everyone is a control freak like me, most  people do like to have at least some type of plan in mind for their actions. Whether you plan like me or go with the flow, it is not our will that should be guiding those steps. And that means we seek to better discern His will and purpose, which requires seeking Him. We are driven into the Word, into our prayer closets, and to those who are our spiritual guides to help us determine exactly what His will for us is.

But even if we are more spontaneous and “go with the flow,” it is human nature to make plans. It just might be that our attention to detail is a lot less structured than others. But we see from the Bible that we formulate plans in our heart based upon our desires and circumstances. All of us do this on one level or another. The question is whether those plans we have determined are ones that align with His plan.

The use of the term “hearts” in this verse refers to the core being of ourselves. This includes our thoughts, desires, and intentions. But we should remember that our hearts are wicked and deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). It is easy for our hearts to be influenced by the world around us. This is why it is so important for us to seek God when making plans. His Spirit will lead us as we make plans in our heart that are godly and follow His plan and purpose. But we fall victim to the deceitful nature when we leave God out of the planning process.

Are you making plans in your heart that include God or are you letting the world and its sinful ways influence your outcome? Trust in Him to have a plan and purpose greater than your own.

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