My Next Step.

Proverbs 16:9

    "9 We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps."

Powerful words found here in Proverbs! As I was reading today, I ran across these words and they gave me pause. Could this be a MAJOR step towards patience for me? I think that I have stated before that I'm a major planner, so does this mean that my plans are never going to come true?

I don't think the author of Proverbs was trying to tell me that no matter what; God's plans aren't my plans, but I do think he was trying to remind us all that God is the one who determines our steps, He is the one who has our ultimate good in mind. What looks good to me today may not be what God has planned for me tomorrow. I think that, for me at least, I need to remember this when I'm thinking about my journey towards patience.

I have to start looking at it this way: achieving my wants, dreams and desires are what I've been trying to learn patience for right? Well now I need to think about if those same wants, dreams and desires are what God wants for me. I've always tired to do this, but I think that reading this verse helps me to see that God really is guiding me, and He really wants me to succeed in the best way possible. As a planner, I am that person who would like to know what I'm doing way in advance so that I can put a plan of attack into place. For example several of my friends and my family are planning to take a cruise at the end of April; so now I have a plan to have my down payment by such a date, my full payment by such a date and my spending money at such a date. Now I can plan all of this out, and what activities I want to do while on vacation, but even if I plan everything down to the last minute and have an "air tight" plan; it is God who really make all of our plans. 

Sometimes verses like this can become mighty depressing. If God plans everything out for us, what is our point or purpose? I am not so sure I have a great answer for that, but I do know that  God has never let me down personally. When I feel like my world is caving in on me, I hold tight to His word and then when I'm through the storm; I can look back and see exactly what it was that I learned from a situation. I can chose to become depressed by this verse or I can chose to take it to heart and continue my journey towards patience and knowledge. I chose my journey; what do you chose?