Plans

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

My pastor is an idea person. We have joked about it and even given him an “idea box” in which to put his many ideas. He will be the first to tell you that although some of his ideas may be good ideas, they are certainly not all God ideas. 

But even God ideas have to become actions if they are going to have an impact. How do we commit our actions to the Lord? I read several commentaries, but the one that intrigued me the most said to commit means “literally, as a man transfers a burden from his own back to one stronger and better able to bear it.” Sometimes our ideas or plans can be like burdens we carry around. We try to sort through them and decide if they are things we should follow through with.

Before an idea becomes an action, it needs to be considered in prayer. Sometimes God says no to even the best ideas because he may have another plan. Or he may just say, “Not now.” If we will cast those burdens onto him, he will graciously help us sift through them to uncover which things are part of his divine providence. The plans that survive this process will be the ones that succeed.