Recalculating ∙∙

Recalculating ∙∙

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. – Proverbs 16:9

Proverbs 16:1-3

 1 We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.

 2 People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives.

 3 Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.

Do you remember those times when you were driving and missed a turn? The GPS voice switches to a somewhat passive-aggressive monotone and says, “recalculating,” serving as a subtle reminder that you’re not following its directions. It’s as if the GPS is gently chiding you for your navigational misstep. Whether it’s due to a momentary distraction, an unexpected road closure, or just a wrong turn, we’ve all experienced that slightly exasperated tone from our GPS. It’s a universal moment of mild frustration mixed with humor, reminding us that even in the age of advanced technology, we’re still prone to human error.

Perhaps a bit of GPS humor might help set the tone.

My GPS asked me how much I loved it. I replied, “Well, I’d be lost without you.”

My Dad kept using this GPS in his car, directing him to cliff edges. I think that is what led him to his downfall.

I tagged Waldo with a GPS device. Problem solved.

I recently gave my soulmate a new GPS for her car. I am not saying she is a bad driver, but after driving a bit with her new GPS, it blurted out, “After 400 feet, stop and let me out!”

One helpful tip is to avoid setting your “Home” address on your GPS to your actual home address. In the event that your car is stolen, the thief might discover that you are not at home and could take advantage of the situation to burglarize your property. Instead, consider setting the “Home” address to the location of your local police station. This will hopefully deter potential thieves and protect your home. It might even teach them a lesson (gpstracklog.com/2015/03/funny-gps-jokes-for-your-sunday-afternoon.html).

How do we commit our work to the Lord? We do so not just by asking Him to bless our efforts but by dedicating ourselves and our plans to Him before, during, and after completing our work (Stanley).

How often do we bring unwarranted expectations to our experiences and aspirations? We create our plans and timelines, hoping everything will go smoothly and turn out exactly as desired. Yet, so often, our expectations are unmet. Eventually, we come to realize that life doesn’t work that way. This truth is even more evident in the Kingdom of God.

The Father frequently introduces totally unexpected and unanticipated events as He mysteriously works in our lives and circumstances. Consider these examples from Scripture: the burning bush, a night spent unharmed in the lion’s den, horses and chariots of fire, cryptic handwriting on a wall, prison doors and chains suddenly unlocked, and the parting of the Red Sea.

We cannot predict the unexpected, and the same goes for our spiritual journey. The Father has a way of redirecting our lives, either accelerating or decelerating our progress. Unlike a GPS, He does not “recalculate.” He brings His predetermined plan and dreams for our lives to fruition.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, understood the concept of “recalculating” long before GPS technology existed. Recalculating becomes necessary when we make our plans without considering the Father’s direction and guidance. While Solomon didn’t have a GPS, he was well-acquainted with the need to realign one’s path. He contrasted the futility of making plans apart from the Father’s input with the wisdom of planning as directed by the Father.

We might paraphrase Solomon’s insights from Proverbs 16 as follows: We often devise our own plans, but the Father has the final say; true success comes when we align our plans with the Father’s; we propose and aspire, but ultimately, the Father’s will prevails.

The best and wisest course of action is to ask the Father what He wishes to accomplish and what His plans are. When we receive divine guidance, we have a choice to make. We can choose to follow His direction and pray that it will be done as He desires.

Often, we get this process backward. We make our plans first and then ask the Father to bless them. This approach, as they say in parts of the southern United States, “that dog won’t hunt.” And we become very disappointed when He does not come through as we expected and hoped. This often leads to discouragement and disillusionment. Anger usually follows along with bitterness, resentment, and separation.

REFLECT & PRAY

Trade trust for frustration and disappointment, and The Father will guide your way.

Father, I acknowledge that I often make plans without involving You, leading to great disappointment and discouragement when things don’t go my own way. Help me to trust in You and rely on Your guidance every step of the way.

INSIGHT

The Father is always at work around you. He has been actively involved in human affairs throughout history. In fact, He is orchestrating history. The Father invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

The Father is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He has been working throughout history to accomplish His purposes. He does not ask us to dream our dreams for Him. He does not invite us to set magnificent goals and then pray that He will help us achieve them.

When He approaches us, He already has His own plan. He desires to get us from where we are to where He is working. He leads us from being self-centered to being God-centered. When the Father reveals to you where He is working, that becomes His invitation to join Him in His activity. When the Father reveals His work to you, that is the time to respond to Him (Blackaby).

It is deplorable but common to repeatedly lose track of this spiritual truth. We make our plans without consulting Him, and we forget to ask Him what His plans are.

Proverbs 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

A man’s mind plans his way: In this context, “a man’s mind” refers explicitly to “a man’s heart,” which is considered the center of mental activity, thoughts, and reflections. When it says “plans his way,” it encompasses all of a person’s activities.

But the Lord directs his steps: The term “directs” here is the same word translated as “established” in verse Proverbs 16:3. However, in relation to “steps,” it is best rendered as “leads,” “guides,” or “determines.”

Steps is often rendered literally in various versions, but it carries a similar meaning to “way” in the previous line; it refers to a person’s actions and the course of their life. For instance, we might say, “But the Lord decides the road we will take” (UBS).

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes: “The ways” refers to actions, behavior, or conduct, contrasting with the plans and reflections of Proverbs 16:1. “Pure” in relation to human behavior means being morally upright, without fault or wrong. “In his own eyes” means “in his opinion” or “from his own point of view.”

But the Lord weighs the spirit: “The spirit” literally translates to “spirits,” referring to human nature and its motives. To “weigh spirits” is to test or judge the aims, purposes, or motives of a person.

We might rephrase this to say, for example, “A person may think he is right in everything he does, but the Lord examines the heart” or “. . . but the Lord looks inside people” (UBS).

In place of feeling disappointed and angry, we can choose to follow Solomon’s advice. It’s a matter of trusting the Father and allowing Him to reveal His plans to us. As we choose to follow Him, He will guide our ways. We need to be flexible and expect to “recalculate” and “redirect” as required.

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© Dr. H 2024