Yesterday, Greg recommended that I start my day out with Proverbs 16 (it was the 16th of September, my brother Tom’s birthday!). Every verse of this chapter is powerful!
The one that really stood out and kept coming back to me all day long was verse 3. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” When I first read this, I have to admit my very first, flesh-inspired thought was “No they don’t”. Wow! When I actually recognized that I was thinking something so totally different from what the Bible says, I was surprised. I guess I shouldn’t be. That’s why I need a savior.
Since I did have this thought, I decided maybe I didn’t really know what it meant to commit my way to the Lord. I have done many things and still have many dreams in life and so far, I can’t say that everything I have done has succeeded. My book has been declined by publishers 4X’s (I would only have 20 more times to catch up to Dr. Seuss and 36 more times to catch up to Mary Higgins Clark). More times than I would like to think about I have sent churches materials about speaking at their event only to have them not call or worse yet, not return my call. Doesn’t seem like success to me. Obviously, that must not be what He is talking about.
Webster’s says to commit means to 1. give in trust or charge 2. to entrust for safekeeping.
Have I done that? Have I taken the desires of my heart, given them in trust to the Lord and then looked in my life for what He would consider success? Sometimes yes; Sometimes no.
There is so much to entrust to Him:
* My Husband
* My kids (this one can be the most scary in this world)
* Finances
* Future
* My book
* Ministry
I could go on for a very long time. For today, I choose to entrust to Him the safekeeping of all of these things, knowing that He is faithful to His Word. He probably defines that success differently than I do. Verse 4 says “The Lord works out everything for his own ends…” The end He is most concerned about is that He is glorified, that all men are brought to Himself and I am more like Him in the end.
Hi Lynn,
I have that verse on a tile in my kitchen. I know how you feel…sometimes like you are spinning your wheels trying to go forward. God is teaching me more and more it is not about ‘how i feel’. He has your list and mine in His Hands. He wants to do more than we can ask or imagine. When I get those similar thoughts in my head I have to remind myself what I KNOW about God. Here is a favorite part of a verse that speaks to me. 2 Tim 1:12
I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
NIV
Open your hands and ask God what He wants to do today. I am going to do the same. Keep walking by faith.
Lynn, this has reminded me of a verse the Lord gave me on Sunday, Joshua 3:5, “Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.”
So, all day Monday I was living in anticipation of those “wonders”. I mean it was plural after all! As I headed to bed Monday night looking back over my day – trying to recall any ‘wonders’ and feeling a tad disappointed – I thought – OK…the verse did say ‘among you’ and not ‘to you’, and I know God is doing amazing things every day…things I’m not even aware of because half the time I’m too focused on my own desires. But, for a brief moment I was doubting God’s Word just because I couldn’t SEE what He was doing.
I think the same is true with the verse you shared too. God has promised that plans committed to Him will succeed. It might take years…and the success may be seen in ways different than we anticipated, but God’s Word is true, so it will happen. Just because we can’t see it now, God is working and we can rejoice that if we don’t faint, we will reap in due time. (Gal.6:9)
Trusting Him with all that concerns me today too,
Joy
Lynn, I look at what I know of your life and you have many successes!! Greg who is supportive, has given you the wonderful opportunity to stay home with your children, plus go after your dreams!! Three beautiful children which was obvious to me at the reunion love you and respect you. To me Lynn you portray confidence, (you mihgt not feel like you do) you are a great encourager, listener, you speak your faith. Entrust all things to the Lord is letting go of control which we all know but hat is the hard part. Becasue if maybe I could just get my fingers in their a little and help whatever situation I’m sure that would make it better. sometimes I picture the Lord probably looking at me thinking “ok Terri let me know when your done, and your tired of trying to make it work, and then I’ll be right there to give you more than you could of ever imagined” It a good thing our Lord has patience. Keep trudging ahead, keep sending, and keep trying.
I never got to tell you the day at the reunion and we talked in the pool, was such and encouragement to me, It was like oh my gosh I finally can talk to someone who truly understands what it is like to loose a parent, and what you go thru with the parent who is left alone, not many people feel comfortable to listen or know waht to say so thank you so much.
Love you all Terri