I thought this was a very fitting verse to start off our "one verse at a time" (ovaat) journey with:
Proverbs 16:3 (NLT)
"Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed."
The text:
Different translations of the verse include the following
- Commit: "transfer", "roll onto" or "lay open"
- Actions: “activities”, “works”, “whatever you do”
- Plans: "planning", "thoughts" or "purposes"
- Succeed: "established" or "directed"
- Commit: "transfer", "roll onto" or "lay open"
- Actions: “activities”, “works”, “whatever you do”
- Plans: "planning", "thoughts" or "purposes"
- Succeed: "established" or "directed"
The literal translation from the original text comes as: "Roll unto Jehovah thy works, And established are thy purposes" (YLT)
what does it mean?
This to me speaks to submission, faith and obedience to God's will - letting God lead our lives, letting God be LORD. It speaks to being a servant, in that whatever we do, we do for God, we do through God, and we do with God. Each theme could fill a book on its own right, it is a concept that we see time and again in the bible,
Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Proverbs 3:6
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
If we read from Proverbs 16:1-2 we see that it speaks to the superior nature of God (see also Isaiah 55:8-9).
This verse tells me that you and I can lay our cares/ways/anxieties - or our projects, friends and family, marriage, jobs, wishes for necessities we may be lacking - any and all our concerns at his feet, and He will take care of it. If I focus on Him, He will take care of it.
Much more can be said, and surely as you and I grow in the word, we will come to understand this better but for now let's sum up by saying:
basically, it starts with prayer
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Proverbs 3:6
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
If we read from Proverbs 16:1-2 we see that it speaks to the superior nature of God (see also Isaiah 55:8-9).
This verse tells me that you and I can lay our cares/ways/anxieties - or our projects, friends and family, marriage, jobs, wishes for necessities we may be lacking - any and all our concerns at his feet, and He will take care of it. If I focus on Him, He will take care of it.
Much more can be said, and surely as you and I grow in the word, we will come to understand this better but for now let's sum up by saying:
basically, it starts with prayer
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
and boils down to this:
Matthew 6:25-33
Don't worry about it, any of it. Be satisfied and trust in God, commit your ways to him and all other things WILL fall into place.
then believe it as done
He cares enough about me and you to have given us his only son (John 3:16)
Romans 8:32
Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?
Putting the word into Practice:
Commit to submitting more and more to God in speech, in prayer, in actions, in thoughts…
In whatever you do or think, ask yourself if it aligns to God’s vision? does it give God glory or bring shame to His name?
We all know right from wrong, right? We’ve all heard that nagging voice in the back of our minds and that uneasy feeling in the pit of our stomach that tells us “you probably shouldn't have done that”, you know the one that can last hours and hours, that even though you try to ignore it, it’s there reminding you for hours or even days… chances are we've disappointed God when we feel that. So we already have this built-in setting for what not to do that can help guide us towards what we ought to do.
Letting go is the hardest part, we all like to be in control - be our own boss. Truth is we're really not, and that's OK. There are so many external forces that affect our lives everyday, things we can't begin to understand. I'm glad I can just put my hands up and say as the song goes "Jesus take the wheel...". Giving in - committing - to God is giving in to amazing love, never ending mercy and grace, eternal wisdom, unsurpassed power and so much more. So why not?
Every journey starts with a single step, begin by giving a little and each day commit to letting God more and more, and before you know it, you will be a seasoned pro.
Pick an area of your life and begin to let go and let God rule.
Confession:
when in doubt, say "I am not in control, God is and I know that if I commit my ways to the Lord, He will make direct my plans to success"
Share how letting go and letting God has helped you, leave a comment below.
He cares enough about me and you to have given us his only son (John 3:16)
Romans 8:32
Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?
Putting the word into Practice:
Commit to submitting more and more to God in speech, in prayer, in actions, in thoughts…
In whatever you do or think, ask yourself if it aligns to God’s vision? does it give God glory or bring shame to His name?
We all know right from wrong, right? We’ve all heard that nagging voice in the back of our minds and that uneasy feeling in the pit of our stomach that tells us “you probably shouldn't have done that”, you know the one that can last hours and hours, that even though you try to ignore it, it’s there reminding you for hours or even days… chances are we've disappointed God when we feel that. So we already have this built-in setting for what not to do that can help guide us towards what we ought to do.
Letting go is the hardest part, we all like to be in control - be our own boss. Truth is we're really not, and that's OK. There are so many external forces that affect our lives everyday, things we can't begin to understand. I'm glad I can just put my hands up and say as the song goes "Jesus take the wheel...". Giving in - committing - to God is giving in to amazing love, never ending mercy and grace, eternal wisdom, unsurpassed power and so much more. So why not?
Every journey starts with a single step, begin by giving a little and each day commit to letting God more and more, and before you know it, you will be a seasoned pro.
Pick an area of your life and begin to let go and let God rule.
Confession:
when in doubt, say "I am not in control, God is and I know that if I commit my ways to the Lord, He will make direct my plans to success"
Share how letting go and letting God has helped you, leave a comment below.
