“We may make our plans, but God has the last word. You may think everything you do is right, but the Lord judges your motives. Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out. Everything the Lord has made has its destiny; and the destiny of the wicked is destruction.

 The Lord hates everyone who is arrogant; he will never let them escape punishment. Be loyal and faithful, and God will forgive your sin. Obey the Lord and nothing evil will happen to you. When you please the Lord, you can make your enemies into friends. It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income, dishonestly gained. You may make your plans, but God directs your actions.”    Proverbs 16:1-8

Our loving God holds the past, present and future in His hands. He knows His plans and will reveal them to you as you ask and seek the right path. We often think our ideas are in the right, and they may seem so, but His purposes are different and can sometimes seem like a bad idea! We can have ideas about where we should be and what we should be doing, but that’s not necessarily what God wants for us. Some seek fame and a name on the Christian social circuit, but God requires humility and the selfless giving of our time, effort and resources for others. To do that in an unseen way is a challenge for many.

Perhaps we wish for a quiet life, just looking after family and the church scene – but more is required of us. God will require a more outward looking spirit that seeks out the lost and alone and ministering to those who cannot return our service. Many tasks are thankless and require a diligent and loving person to reach out to people, with no reward in this life. This is the difficult road and the fighting within is hot and fierce. This life cannot be lived without the power of God and a personal, deep knowledge of His love.

As we commit our way to God and earnestly seek to obey His will, so He will prosper His work in us and through us. God’s way is not necessarily the same view as other people, and even seemingly “correct” groups of people, can lose the vision of God’s purposes in this world.

God has His purposes for all things and everyone, even wicked people, will show His holiness in their destruction.

If a Christian, or group of Christians become proud and confident in their own settled ways, they will be dealt with by God. His way is the only way, and we must seek it. This is the recurring theme of the prophet Jeremiah, who saw God’s purposes and the outcome of disobedience and idol- worship. Just because a revered person expresses a certain idea or teaches a set of behaviours, doesn’t make it true. Everything is measured against the character and truth of God.

Ever Christian must seek the Truth in the Word of God for themselves and read and pray and think. We cannot afford to put our trust in any kind of man, because all fall short of the glory of God. As we learn the Word, live it and obey it, so relationships are built on the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and brings sincerity. Our Christian life is hid with Christ in God, and not a social sideline that we like to pursue with other like-minded people. It is better to have little of this worlds goods or the acclaim it dishes out to those who acquiesce to its doctrines, as they are a trap and blind us to God’s provision in our daily lives. Our walk through life is a living communication with the living God Himself.

As we make plans in life and service, our prayer is that God’s will prevail and self is conquered. When I lose myself, I gain eternal life and save my life for eternity.