Sometimes I get really frustrated when things don’t go my way. It’s not that my plans were intended for bad. In fact, many times they’re intended for good. My inner control freak freaks out and I’m left questioning what I did wrong. Why am I not seeing the results I hoped for? Why, even when I work hard, does it not turn out like I thought? Why can’t this just succeed???
Proverbs 16:3 made me ask an even tougher question. Did I commit my ways to the Lord?
Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
Only when we commit our way to the Lord, is God in the results. And there’s a difference between feeling like you’re doing something good and doing what the Lord purposes.
Proverbs 16:3 says
All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
Are our motives to carry out what the Lord wanted or our motives really to carry out what we think is the right path? Did we seek God from the beginning or only when things didn’t work out? The wise will commit their plans to the Lord from the start.
Challenge: Is there any area in your life that you feel defeated and ineffective? Commit that goal, that thing, that blog, that friendship, that marriage, that business, those children, whatever it is, to the Lord and he will establish the necessary plans.
This post is part of The Nester’s 31 Days Series
Oh. well. Just recently I’ve gone through this thing with questioning my motives in everything I do. Start a food drive at church—-am I doing it for the hungry or am I doing it for what little recognition I might get out of it. Do extra shoeboxes—do I really care about the little ones that will receive those boxes or do I just want everyone to see me do more than anyone else? I WANT my ways to be pure, but there’s always that little worrisome whisper. Do I stop doing because I fear I’m not doing it for the right reason? I guess that could go back to the first one, “commit to the Lord whatever you do” and he’ll straighten the rest out. At least, confess to him that my motives might not be all that pure. But I really want them to be!!!!! Does that count?
Looks like my reply did not go through yesterday? This is so tough but I think even the fact that you’re questioning your motives shows that you have the right heart in it. We still battle our flesh so I think there will always be some selfishness in each good work, but we are called to do them in any case! As long as you are aware that it IS a struggle is huge.
Thank you for visiting, I know you are going through a tough time right now, Denise!