Roll over ∙∙
Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. – Proverbs 16:3
1 Peter 5:5-7
5 Serve each other in humility, for “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time, he will lift you up in honor.
7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Trusting God with Every Decision
During Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan made an exceptional decision that teaches us a profound life lesson. Jordan was known for his ability to perform under pressure, yet he passed the ball to his teammate Steve Kerr instead of taking the critical shot himself. Kerr seized the moment, scoring the game-winning basket and helping the Chicago Bulls secure their second consecutive title.
Jordan deliberately placed his trust in Kerr. He recognized that sometimes, the best action isn’t doing something ourselves but trusting someone else to carry the task forward. However, the person we trust must be willing and able to handle the responsibility.
Just as Jordan trusted his teammate, we are called to entrust our lives not to another human, but to our infinitely trustworthy Father.
Trusting God’s Superior Wisdom
The Father has the ultimate perspective. He sees what we cannot and holds wisdom far beyond our own. Entrusting Him with our plans, hopes, and dreams assures us of direction guided by His perfect knowledge.
Consider Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.”
This verse reminds us that although we may make plans, God ultimately has the final say. Eugene Peterson captures this idea beautifully, stating, “Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.” Success isn’t achieved through relying solely on ourselves; instead, it comes from surrendering our plans into His hands.
David strongly encourages the same idea in Psalms 37:5, “Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.”
What Does It Mean to Commit?
The Hebrew word for “commit” is galal, which means “to roll” or “roll away.” This conveys the image of“removing a heavy burden from ourselves and transferring it to another.” Over time, galal came to mean “to completely trust another, fully relying on a person, thus placing one’s entire trust in someone else’s hands.”
The Scriptures repeatedly depict the act of rolling burdens onto the Lord as a symbol of humility, trust, and dependence on His power alone. Psalms 22:8, Psalms 37:5, and Psalms 55:22 capture this idea of “rolling” our burdens to the Lord.
When we “roll” our plans onto the Father, it’s not an act of passive resignation but deliberate trust. It’s an intentional decision to hand over control to a loving and capable God who knows far more than we do. Leupold explains, “We move the burden from our shoulders and lay it on the Father.”
Psalms 37:5 (KJV) assures us, “He will act on our behalf and bring it to pass.”
When we surrender our lives, we step into His perfect plan, not always knowing every detail, but assured that His way is always better.
Resting in Divine Wisdom
Relinquishing control to God is challenging, but it brings a profound sense of peace. It frees us from the weight of self-sufficiency and grounds us in the certainty of His flawless judgment and infinite wisdom.
Experiencing Perfect Peace God Offers
Placing your burdens in the Father’s hands is not just about resolving issues; it’s about relinquishing control and resting in His provision. The Father, who sacrificed His Son for our sake, assures us that no plan or dream entrusted to Him will be mishandled. When we surrender everything to Him, we experience freedom, joy, and peace that surpasses our circumstances.
The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
Remember These Truths
1. God’s wisdom exceeds ours. His decisions are always made with our benefit in mind.
2. Trust requires surrender. Releasing control is an act of faith and humility.
3. God sustains and directs. Commit your life to Him, and He will bring it to pass.
Unmet Expectations
It is painful to realize that when we shape our lives and make our own plans, we often have expectations that the Father will do what He never committed to. Even worse, it is as though we write up an imaginary contract between ourselves and Him regarding our expectations. We sign our name to the contract, and then we forge God’s. When things do not go our way, we can become outraged and blame Him for our disappointment.
REFLECT & PRAY
Many of us have spent much of our lives pursuing our own way and not really considering the Father.
Father, please forgive me for relying on my own plans instead of trusting in You. I surrender control to Your perfect wisdom and unfailing love.
INSIGHT
A Firm Foundation
The promise for every child of King is clear: when we commit our work to Him, our plans will succeed. The Hebrew term for “established” or “succeed” is kun, which means “to make firm, steadfast, or lasting.” This implies “permanence, reliability, and a sense of security.”
Trusting God when in Distress
There may be times when, even while trying to follow God’s instructions, we feel disturbed, overwhelmed, or even defeated and depressed. When this occurs, it is important to pause and reflect by asking, “Whose work is this?” If it is truly the Father’s work, then the responsibility for its success rests on His shoulders, not ours.
We are reminded to trust Him, not only for the plan itself but also for its completion. He is both the architect and the finisher of every good work in our lives.
The apostle Paul writes in Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
In “Good Hands” with the Father
Many will recall Allstate Insurance’s timeless slogan, “You’re in Good Hands with Allstate®,” which has represented quality and reliability since 1950. Similarly, when we surrender our plans and aspirations to God, we are placing them in the care of the ultimate “Good Hands.”
H.A. Ironside puts it this way: “When we roll over our plans to the Father, [we] find Him ever ready to take charge of them all and to carry them on to a proper completion and establishment. But it must be borne in mind that if I thus commit all to Him, I no longer choose for myself as to what the outcome should be, but say with confidence, ‘Thy will be done.’”
A Lifestyle of Faith
God offers us an alternative way to live. Instead of striving, worrying, and forcing outcomes, He encourages us to adopt a lifestyle rooted in faith and dependence. This lifestyle begins with an awareness of His character, His promises, and His faithfulness to fulfill them. The Father’s hands are infinitely more trustworthy than we can imagine.
Stanley suggested that it does not involve asking Him to bless what we have already done, but by committing ourselves and our plans to Him before, during, and after we have completed our work.
The act of rolling our burdens and works onto the Lord is an invitation to peace, freedom, and deeper trust in Him. When we release the weight of our plans, we discover the joy of walking in step with the Father’s perfect will.
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© Dr. H 2025
Dr H Reflections 