A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
If we make our plans, with God’s glory in mind, and keeping his will as our guide, we can expect that He will direct our steps by His spirit and grace, so that we will walk uprightly without missing our way or coming up short in our life.
No matter how perfectly we plan our life ahead, God is the ultimate power in ordering the event that we set out to do, sometimes in a completely different direction from what we expect.
The design of this is to teach us to accept and say that if the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that. We should always have our eyes on God, not just in the major decisions, but in every step we take on a practical daily basis. Always ask God to direct your way at work, school, with your peers, with strangers etc.
As humans we are fully responsible and accountable for planning, organizing, and directing our lives. But on the other hand, we need to be fully aware that God is accomplishing His purpose despite our plans and efforts.
Scripture often affirms this shared responsibility between us as human beings and God as the sovereign Lord of the universe. For example the New Testament urges us to “work out” our salvation, which means to make responsible choices on a day to day basis in light of our eternal salvation, yet it adds that God is at work in us “both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13), as it is His desire that we are all saved.
Are you fulfilling your part of your relationship with God?
Are you making wise choices based on what He has said in the Bible?
Are you trusting Him to fulfill His part?
If we make God’s glory our end, and His will our rule, He will direct our steps by his Spirit and grace.
– From The Book of Proverbs by Father Tadros Y. Malaty and from Commentary of Matthew Henry on the Book of Proverbs
Chrism 