A person's heart plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. There's a beautiful dance in this proverb between human agency and divine sovereignty. You're invited to make plans, to think about where you're going, to chart your course. But ultimately, God is the one who determines the outcome.
I used to find this verse frustrating when I was a younger person. It seemed to suggest that my planning didn't matter, that God would do what God wanted regardless. But I've come to see it differently. Making plans without a sense of divine guidance is one thing. Making plans while staying open to how God is moving is another.
It's like being a sail. The sail participates in getting the boat where it needs to go. But the wind determines the direction. A good sailor sets her sails and then responds to the wind, adjusting constantly. That's what human agency looks like in a universe where God is also active. We plan, we work, we think. And we hold it all lightly, knowing there's a larger wisdom that might be moving us in a different direction than we anticipated.
No comments yet. Be the first.