Some days, it feels easy to trust God. Life settles into a peaceful rhythm. The days feel steady and blessed. Plans unfold the way we hoped they would.
Other days, the ground feels less certain. We map out the future carefully, only to find ourselves standing at unexpected crossroads. It is in those moments that the real test of trust begins.
As we continue our journey through the book of Proverbs at church, Pastor John preached on Proverbs 16 this past Sunday. His message about how God guides our plans inspired and shaped much of what I’m reflecting on here.
As I think about the years ahead, I carry goals in my mind. Summer travel plans. Dreams about future work. Financial hopes. The awareness that my children are inching closer to leaving home.
There are practical things I would like to accomplish. There are milestones I hope to reach.
Proverbs 16 teaches me that wise planning involves holding each purpose lightly and trusting God to shape the steps I cannot foresee.
The Wisdom of Divine Direction
The wisdom of this chapter shows me the difference between my plans and God’s direction.
Proverbs 16:1 — “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.”
Planning is not wrong. In fact, planning is part of living wisely. It is responsible and good to think about tomorrow. But Proverbs reminds me that the power to bring visions to life does not rest in me. It rests in God alone. My work is to plan with wisdom, to act with integrity, and then to trust the One who establishes the path.
There is a hidden pride that can creep into preparation. I sometimes find it in the corners of my thinking, when I start to believe that if I strategize carefully enough, I can ensure the outcomes I want.
Proverbs 16:3 — “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.”
Commitment, in the biblical sense, is not a clenched jaw and a white-knuckled determination. It is a rolling over. A lifting of the burden from my own shoulders onto the shoulders of the One who can carry the weight without stumbling. It is not that the goals or the work cease to matter. It is that they find their rightful place under the authority of God.
In fact, Pastor John shared that the Hebrew word used for “commit” in Proverbs 16:3 is gōl, which means “to roll.” It pictures a physical act of transferring a burden — lifting it off ourselves and placing it on God. Even the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, uses a word that means “to roll away.” The image is clear: biblical commitment is not about clenching tighter, but about letting go. It is not about carrying more, but about trusting the One who already holds it all.
When God’s “No” Becomes a Blessing
This is not just theory for me. I have seen this play out up close.
A few years ago, my wife Amy had been faithfully working for the same organization for seven years. When the president’s position opened, she applied. She prepared extensively, pouring her insight and experience into the process. She knew the organization intimately and understood what it needed to survive and thrive. It came down to her and one outside candidate, someone with more years, fundraising experience, and institutional connections. In the end, the board chose the outside candidate.
At first, it was a bitter disappointment. It felt unfair. Amy had invested herself deeply into that place. She had given her best years and her best work. But in the months that followed, something unexpected happened.
As she continued to work under the new leadership, she began to realize that her values no longer aligned with the organization’s mission. Her vision for its future diverged from the direction it was heading. Slowly, a sense of release began to form in her heart.
Eventually, Amy applied for a job with the city — a position that attracted more than seventy-five applicants. By God’s grace and Amy’s preparedness, she was offered the job. Today, she is thriving in a way she had not imagined possible during those early days of disappointment. She is valued, energized, and grateful.
As we reflected together on that chapter of her life in light of Proverbs 16, Amy said to me, “I’m so thankful for that no.” Those prayers she prayed so desperately for the president position — I see now that God answered them perfectly by closing that door.
Looking back, it is clear that God’s design was better than the one we originally hoped for. As we often say in our household, “God’s plan is the best plan.” It was not just a better career move. It was a better place for her heart and her gifts to grow.
Proverbs 16:9 — “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”
Faith in Every Season
While I currently find myself in a time where trusting God feels more natural, blessed with health and family stability, I’m deeply aware this isn’t everyone’s reality. In fact, I’m humbled by those in our own church family who are walking through profound challenges—health struggles, loss, uncertainty—while holding onto these same truths. Their faith in hard times speaks louder than any sermon.
I’m grateful for the relative ease of my present circumstances, while recognizing that Proverbs is preparing all of us—not just for the good days, but especially for when expectations fall apart. When the doors we wanted to walk through are closed. When the life we mapped out looks very different from the road God is asking us to walk.
The call is the same in every season: Rest in His control. Take responsibility for today. Move at His rhythm, not mine.
I am learning that rest does not mean passivity. It is not a withdrawal from effort. It is a settled confidence that even when my steps are interrupted, my life is not derailed.
God’s sovereignty is not a safety net to catch me if I fall. It is the firm ground I am walking on, even when the path ahead disappears into the mist.
Final Thought:
When I hold my hopes with open hands rather than clenched fists, I discover the paradox of Proverbs 16: true freedom comes not from controlling my future, but from entrusting it to the One who already holds it.
In this divine partnership, where I plan with wisdom and God directs with sovereignty, I find not just security for tomorrow, but peace for today.
Amen.
If today finds you at a crossroads, or even just quietly wondering about the future, I’m praying these words remind you:
God is faithful in every step.
I’d love to hear how Proverbs 16 is speaking into your life these days.
Let me know what you think.