There is a desire we all share. It is that God would direct your path in all that you do. There are many scriptures written by the wisest man ever lived that have the power to make us move, yet the potential to keep us still. One verse in particular found in the book of Proverbs, if taken out of its context, can be a hindrance to our walk with God. Proverbs 16:9 is the verse we will be studying today.
Proverbs 16:9
A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
There are at least a couple of ways to interpret this verse when looking at it by itself. You might be inclined to think about the verse in Jeremiah that says how wicked the heart is.
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Although Jeremiah 17:9 holds truth to it, we must always be looking at scripture in the context in which it is written. It is impossible to contain a whole truth in one single verse. This is one of the dangers of creating a doctrine out of one verse. There is much more to Proverbs 16:9 than meets the eye and coincidentally enough, this verse pertains to this “new year” season. For this is the time of year where people reflect on the past and others prepare for the future. If you are the person that likes to be prepared for the road ahead then this is for you.
Proverbs 16:9 has a statement that is undeniable. The first part of this verse says “a man’s heart deviseth his way”. This statement is true because we, as humans, are naturally selfish and we want to do what pleases us. Jesus also spoke about the heart and this is what he said:
Matthew 12:34b
“…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
Our desires will come out from the heart. Our own desires will not direct your path in a way of righteousness. There are times we do not seek the counsel of God before we plan life-changing events. In those times, we simply plan to “do and to undo” and never think twice about it. Our own desire does not have to be the default in our lives. We can definitely change how we plan and act towards others. We should begin by always seeking the counsel of God before we take any major action in our lives.
The Counsel Of God
Do we need to ask God about every little thing we need a decision on? The answer is we do and yet we do not. If you encounter a situation where you need to decide on something, it is possible for you to decide yourself and have God accept your decision. The same way our heart decides based on our own desires our heart can begin to naturally decide based on God’s desires.
Here is the deal, If you are a person that is constantly seeking the will of God for your life, then your desires will begin to match God’s desires. To seek the will of God is to ask God what He would want you to do. Decisions concerning your family, job, personal life can be part of that list. Therefore, when you begin to plan, your plans will please the Lord as they will be according to the will of God.
For example, a person who loves to play music, who realizes that God has given them talent and desires is to please him with that talent. They may sit down to write a song, but they do not necessarily ask God for the words (I realize that some people do) rather the words come from the heart. At this point, the Artist knows what their heart feels. If the lyrics to the song are in sync with the scriptures, you know the heart is in sync with God’s will. When
Proverbs 16:3
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
If you commit your entire life and work to the Lord, your thoughts will be established. They will be established to what exactly? Your thoughts will be established to the will of God. You see, Once your thoughts are established, then your heart will be established. God will honor your plans and works, even if you didn’t consult with Him first.
Have God Direct Your Path Like David
We see the life of King David and how the scripture says he was a man after God’s own heart. What does it mean to be after God’s own heart? The word “after” here means that he was chasing God’s heart. David was chasing after God’s heart. David continually went after God’s heart until he naturally began to accomplish the will of God. It says so in the Word.
Acts 13:22b
…I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.
Notice it says “shall fulfill my will” but why does it say shall fulfill my will? The heart of God is where God’s desires come from therefore the will of God will surely be there.
In Closing
When you start to plan for 2019, be sure your desires and plans match what God wants for your life. Here are a few tips for you in case God has not yet specifically told you what he wants for your life. God commanded all to go out and teach the world of the good news (Matthew 28:19-20). He said to love your neighbor and to do good to your enemies (Matthew 22:39, Matthew 5:44). Begin there and start to plan your year according to those desires and God will direct
God Bless You!
