Wednesday, February 8 – Proverbs 19:21

Many plans are in a person’s heart,

But the advice of the Lord will stand.

Have you ever had a plan that did not work out as you hoped? At times we can be so sure about things that do not come to pass. Maybe we have an idea of who we will be or what we will do but life turns out quite differently, and these lost dreams and hopes can begin to feel like failures. The truth is, no matter how determined or hardworking we are, many things are out of our control. We may be resolved to achieve what we do not have the power to make happen. Determination and hard work are valuable, but it is all done in vain if we have not first entrusted our plans to the Lord.

At the end of the day, His advice will stand, and His ways are secure no matter how determined our plans. Even when we do achieve what we seek, if we do so without the Lord, we will always be left with some sort of emptiness. God’s sovereignty is about more than His plan for our lives; it is also His knowledge of what is best for us no matter what we think. When we make plans for ourselves, big and small, we should lift each one to Him, trusting in His way over our own.

• When have you left your plans in God’s hands?
• When has God led you in a different direction than a plan you made for yourself?
• Pray and praise God for His sovereignty.