Heart Plans

 "A person's heart plans the way, but the Lord determines His steps." Proverbs 16:9

If you read the commentary on this verse, the usual interpretations are what I would consider somewhat negative.  You can decide in your head what you want to have happen, but if it doesn't align with what God wants, it ain't happenin.' This is true. However, it neglects to point out that God wants the best for us.  Likewise, He gave us free will and a mind, which He definitely wants us to use.  

That said, this morning when I read it, I saw something different - something encouraging.  Your heart has a desire and knows what it wants, but God is in charge of how you get there and how long it takes. Of course, our desires have to align with God, His purpose, His plans and His glory.  But, He also celebrates our uniqueness.  He is the Creator, inspiration of creativity, and He enjoys seeing us flex our creative muscles, imagining what we want. He knows our deepest desires - the secret aches that no human knows because we have never said anything to anyone about them. I believe these are the "heart plans" in the verse.  When those heart plans align with His Will, I can almost hear the click of the ignitor as a fire within is lit.  

This is particularly encouraging to me.  I have some definite heart desires, many of which I do not vocalize.  If I speak them, I subject myself to ridicule, or even worse, the possibility that those desires will never be realized.  After all, if I don't talk about it, then I don't have to worry about being humiliated if they never happen.  But I also have no accountability for them.  

God knows, though.  He does hold me accountable for them.  He places opportunities in my path, and it is up to me to take those opportunities.  It is up to me to be brave and take a step toward those desires. Sadly, there are many times when I am not paying attention, or I have allowed myself to get distracted by things that don't matter.  Or, I allow the voice of the enemy to drown out the still, small whisper.  God believes in me, especially when I don't believe in myself.  He sends others to deliver that message and encourage me to move.  This is how He determines my steps.  

The fun part is that His steps are almost always a surprise.  Not a surprise, as in SURPRISE! But they are surprise in the fact that He works the plan in unexpected and unorthodox ways.  There have been many times when I have sat back in wonder, a smile on my face, as I have considered the creative, truly perfect way in which He has set the situation up for complete success.  Can I give you an example right now?  Of course not.  That's how it usually goes.  However, I can tell you that it has happened, and that's what makes me continue to believe that He will honor my heart desires in HIS time and in HIS own way.  

As a person, made in His image, I believe He not only instilled within me, the ability to create marvelous, extravagant dreams and goals.  I also believe He waits with anticipation to see what I want.  It's like a mother seeing her daughter dance on a stage for the first time, a father watching his son open the Christmas present he so desperately wanted.  He wants to give us only good things.  He wants to see us smile. He wants to enjoy His creation, enjoying creation.  For this is what brings glory to the Creator. 

"A person's heart plans the way, but the Lord determines His steps." Proverbs 16:9