Tag: God’s guidance

Whatever You Do

Proverbs 16-18

In the book of Proverbs, we find a treasure trove of wisdom that has the power to transform our lives. Chapter 16 is no exception, offering profound insights that speak directly to our hearts and the way we navigate this world. Today, let us take a closer look at verse 3, which encourages us to commit our work to the Lord, knowing that He is the one who establishes our plans.

In a society driven by achievement and self-reliance, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that success is solely dependent on our own abilities and strategies. We may spend countless hours meticulously crafting our plans and pursuing our goals, forgetting that we are called to acknowledge God’s sovereignty and seek His guidance in all that we do. However, Proverbs reminds us that true success comes from surrendering our efforts to the Lord.

Committing our work to the Lord involves recognizing that He is the ultimate authority and the source of all wisdom and understanding. It requires us to approach our tasks, aspirations, and dreams with an attitude of humility, acknowledging that apart from Him, we can do nothing of lasting significance. We are called to submit our plans to His will, seeking His guidance and trusting that He will align our desires with His purposes.

By entrusting our work to God, we are liberated from the burden of self-reliance and the anxiety that often accompanies it. We can rest in the assurance that the Lord, in His infinite wisdom and love, will establish our plans. This does not mean that we will be exempt from challenges or difficulties along the way, but it does mean that God will faithfully guide us, direct our steps, and use our efforts for His glory.

When we commit our work to the Lord, we invite Him to be an active participant in every aspect of our lives. We open ourselves up to His guidance and leading, allowing Him to shape our plans according to His perfect will. Our work becomes an opportunity to partner with God, to be instruments through which His purposes are fulfilled in this world.

As we reflect on Proverbs chapter 16, may we be encouraged to surrender our ambitions, our dreams, and our work to the Lord. Let us seek His wisdom, trust in His guidance, and find peace in knowing that He is the one who establishes our plans. By entrusting ourselves to Him, we embark on a journey of purpose and fulfillment, where our lives become a testament to His grace and faithfulness.

-Austin Kizer

(originally posted for Seek GrowLove on May 16, 2023)

Reflection Questions

  1. In what areas of your life would it be wise to surrender your plans to the Lord? What does that look like? What thoughts and feelings does it create? Pray for help in doing so.
  2. What does true success look like? Is it possible apart from God and His plans?
  3. What will God reveal to you about Himself in your Bible reading today?
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The Root of Learning

Proverbs 1-3

I’m a homeschooling mom. I never meant to be one, it just kind of happened. It happened in such a weird way, actually, that I know it was God speaking into our lives. That being said, we follow what is known as a classical model of learning. I won’t go into details about it, but when you dive into homeschooling, or if you’re an educator, you have probably become familiar with pedagogy – the study of learning. Or, as most people think of it, the study of how to instruct. We’ve developed many different ways of learning over the years, trying to help people in various situations learn in different ways that speak to them more clearly. We require different methods because we are different people with a beautiful variety of brains. 

But the root of learning is not teaching. It’s not the brain, nor the instructor. It is knowledge and wisdom itself. And behind all knowledge and wisdom is God. 

God did an interesting thing when he created us and the world we live in. He placed a tree of the knowledge of good and evil and then told us not to eat from it. What a crazy thing, right? Why place the tree there at all? But to be completely free, he had to give us freedom of choice. And that means we have to have options to choose from. Humanity chose poorly. We continue to choose poorly. 

How do we choose wisely? Proverbs 1:7 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The fear of the LORD means showing God the respect and awe that he’s due so that we long to obey him in all things. When we obey the instructions of the loving Father who wants only the best for us, then we are led to knowledge and wisdom. 

As you start through the book of Proverbs, take note of how this wonderful book is not only trying to grant you wisdom and knowledge, but also moral guidance. Let these Proverbs speak to you in a way that helps you see how much God loves you and wants to guide you and protect you. I hope you start to see the benefits of wisdom, as they are beautifully outlined in chapter 2, show up in big ways in your life. 

-Jenn Haynes

Reflection Questions:

What are some of the ways that God’s guidance has kept you from trouble? In what moments of your life do you feel you would have avoided trouble if you HAD followed God’s instruction more closely?

Proverbs 2:10 says, “For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” What wisdom have you gleaned from scripture that has given you that sense of pleasantness in your soul? 

My prayer for you today is that you will experience the truth in Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

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Gotcha!

Joshua 9-11

When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they acted deceptively. They gathered provisions and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly. They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Please make a treaty with us… Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s decision. 15 So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them. Joshua 9:3-6;14-15  (CSB)

“Be skeptical of everyone, including the skeptics”. I don’t know where this quote or phrase came from, but I often find myself in that mindset. Why? Because of stories like this. There are those out there who would try to deceive and use this deception to take advantage of others. I used to get calls and emails all the time at the church from people who were looking for money to help with something. There was always a story about why they were in this tough situation. The second half of that quote also resonates because sometimes people just like the status quo or throw cold water on other people’s ideas.

Maybe some of those people were deceptive, and maybe some of them were genuine. I don’t know. What I do know is that there were occasions where I would try to give something, but there were times that I did not. I did my best to discern who was authentic, but I couldn’t really know. What I could do was pray about it and see if God gave me a push in one direction or another, but if he didn’t, I’d need to make a choice. In situations of meeting needs or requests, you can’t help everyone, we have finite resources. I do think it is important not to be dismissive of every request because there are people who genuinely have needs and come to churches as a last resort.

When the Gibeonites came to Joshua and the men of Israel, they did their best to pull one over them, and it worked. The leadership did appear to be skeptical and questioned the Gibeonites, but they neglected to check with something powerful that they had at their disposal: access to Almighty God! Rather than checking on what God wanted them to do, to seek wisdom in this situation that some of them even thought might be a little fishy, they made a knee-jerk decision and swore a treaty to do no harm.

Don’t you think that it would have been wise to consult God when there were treacherous peoples all about the land? The Gibeonites got their protection, but they found themselves indentured to the Israelites because of their shenanigans. I guess that beats death? Some might disagree.

When faced with big decisions, we should come before God and seek wisdom. Especially when we are the leaders of his institutions. Whether leading the Israelites four millennia ago or leading in Christ’s Church today, when we face big decisions (skeptical about what is going on or not), we must always ask what God would have us do. We have scripture to guide us, as well as the Spirit of God that will guide us when we are earnestly seeking after him. When we see leaders fall or make ruinous decisions, we can probably rest assured knowing that they did not honestly seek God’s will and input for that decision. Unless God is intent on making a statement with you like he did with Hosea, he is not going to tell you to make decisions that would be considered dubious by wise observers.

-JJ Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. Can you think of a time that not seeking God’s decision burned you? How did you respond or recover after?
  2. Do you find yourself to have a healthy level of skepticism, or do you often find yourself being a bit too Pollyannish? Is there value in both? What are some of the drawbacks of each of these traits?
  3. Do you think Joshua and the leaders learned something from this experience?
  4. How do you think it best to navigate people who are too extreme on the scale of being too trusting or distrusting? What can we do to be a good emissary of Jesus in those situations?
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Glad in God’s Guidance

Old Testament: Job 13 & 14

Poetry: Psalm 37

New Testament: John 17

Whether it is my teenagers at school or my three-agers at home, much of my day is filled with offering corrections for behavior. I have often wondered how many times I say “no” within the course of 24 hours.  As both a teacher and a father, I know that the guidance that I offer is constructive and for the benefit of my children, but rarely is it received with thanks. I get it. When I am offered criticism, even more so when it is justified, I am defensive.  If I would put the same effort in my adjustment as I did my defense, I would find myself rapidly growing professionally, personally, and spiritually. For every one of us, we should be glad of just criticism with good intentions because someone has decided to improve us instead of letting us remain as we once were.

“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. This also will be my salvation, For a godless person cannot come before His presence.” Job 13:15-16

More than anyone else, our Heavenly Father is interested in improving the quality of our life we have now to prepare us for the life to come.  When we are in a rut, He doesn’t let us lay in the muck and the mire.  Our God is actively working on our hearts, imploring us to read His Holy Word or listen to His people speaking truth into our lives. Either one of these can be a tough pill to swallow. According to Hebrew chapter 4, the Word of God is a two-edged sword that cuts deeps, separating the bone and marrow.  It isn’t merely a flesh wound, but a fatal strike against our spirit of selfishness in order to die, so Christ may live in us. (Gal 2:20)

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” – John 17:16-19

But are we glad for this guidance? Are we asking for these amendments to be placed into our lives? Maybe this is where we need to change our prideful spirit in order to trust in God’s plan and walk closer to Him.  This means letting go of our justifications for the negligence and sin we continue to carry in our lives.  If you really are putting your hope in God Almighty, let Him slay your heart. He  is beckoning you to forgive your neighbor. He is challenging you to share the Gospel with your friends. He is calling you to set aside your ambition and choose church.  He is imploring you to seek help for addiction. He is challenging your will and way, so He can help you live your life more abundantly. 

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:  He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:4-6

The desires of our heart are on the other side of God’s guidance. To delight in God is to live the life He is setting before you.  Trust the process because the Lord will give you gains like no other. He will vindicate and exonerate those who choose Jesus Christ, His Son, above anything else.  Rejoice and be glad that our Heavenly Father is offering direction to help each one of us stay on His straight and narrow way that leads to the coming Kingdom.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What is your typical response to constructive criticism or guidance? Is your response sometimes prompted by selfishness or pride rather than truth?
  2. What do you think of Aaron’s statement: “More than anyone else, our Heavenly Father is interested in improving the quality of our life we have now to prepare us for the life to come”?
  3. How can you better seek God’s guidance, receiving it with gladness and acting upon it?
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