People plan their path, but the LORD secures their steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (CEB)
Whether you’re an extreme planner or not, you likely have dreams for your future that you want to see realized. When you hold tightly to your own plans without seeking the Lord, you lead yourself down a path that will eventually end in disappointment.
Here are three steps to walking on a more fulfilling path:
Make Plans Loosely
There are so many options in this world to pursue, and it’s easy to find yourself in a cycle of changing plans so often that you’re missing the point. God loves the process of leading you down a path that draws you closer to Him and who He created you to be. It’s okay to dream of where life will take you. Just keep reminding yourself that your Heavenly Father knows what’s best for you.
Surrender Your Plans to God
After making your plans, give them to the Lord. He knows the desires of your heart, and yet He knows when those desires are going to lead you down a path of hurt and disappointment. When you surrender your plans to Him, you begin to see how He’s working it out for your good. You begin to align your plans with His plans, which really is a more fulfilling way to live.
Allow God to Lead
Sometimes we pitch our ideas to God as if we’re the top marketing team that knows what will make our consumerism happy, and when He chooses another path, we get disappointed and doubt His goodness. But when you decide to let Him lead your plans, even when things don’t go your way, you ultimately feel more at peace. You realize that His plans bring a security to your soul that is unmatched.
It’s important to keep pursuing change and growth for the future, but don’t forget that our Creator sees the full path ahead.
Allow Him to guide your steps.
Questions
- If you’re finding yourself on a path to disappointment, what is the next step to surrendering your plans to God? (Keep in mind that it will probably be a hard step.)
- Can you think of a time in your life when looking back, you can see God’s goodness in the plans he laid out for you? (Remind yourself of this goodness when you begin feeling doubt.)