My title for this devotion is My Steps vs God’s Plan.
Like every child, I was often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” (I was just asked that the other day. Hmmmmm. I kid. 🙂 ) I started playing baseball when I was 8 years old. There was no such thing as T-ball or coach pitch back then. I fell in love with baseball and from someone who knew nothing at all about the sport, I developed into a decent pitcher and first baseman. I wanted to be a professional baseball player. Later, sometime around my 7th-8th grade years I remember reading a series of books on an untameable horse on an island and told my dad I wanted to be a rancher. He laughed. I grew up near Pittsburgh, the land of steel mills not horses. 🙂 Then I got into basketball in 9th grade and didn’t know how to even dribble a basketball, let alone dribble and run at the same time. I spent endless hours on the side of the court leaning how. But practice and hard work got me to a decent place. So much so I wanted to play professional ball. That would have never happened. College was the end of that. My mom used to say when all the other boys were talking policeman, fireman, heavy equipment operator or some other “hero” job, I expressed an interest in being a pastor. Well, I guess we know how my “when-I-grow-up” scenario turned out!
I thought of that when I read two verses from Proverbs 16 today. “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (v.3) and “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (v.9).
I guess we know whose way won out! My steps were established by God…not me. All those dreams of grandeur as a child were good, but in the end, they were just pipe dreams. From before my birth, eternity was stamped on my heart by God’s indelible hand print. He told Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.” (1:5)
God chose Jeremiah. God chose me. God chose you. God ordered Jeremiah’s steps. God ordered (and still is) my steps. God ordered (and still is) your steps. Jeremiah was His. I am His. You are His. How much better to say, “Have your way Lord” than to say, “I’m going my own way Lord.”
“Father, I’m fulfilling Your purpose for me. It wasn’t in sports or some other pursuit. I’m being and doing what You want. You plan is better.”
“What do I want to be when I grow up?”
Questions my adult children are asking themselves and beginning to pursue.
Some days I question my steps… Is the path I have chosen what God has chosen for me?
It has provided for the family and has been an outlet for various ministry opportunities and continues to be, but some days there seems like there should be more.
i feel for you Ryan. You have a servant’s heart. That means you will always look for ways to serve.
Growing up, I thought I would be a writer somewhere down the road. Guess God placed that thought in my head, because look what happened! 🙂 His plans for us are the only ones we should be focused on. His will, His way.
Blessings, Bill!
There you go Martha. God put that seed in your heart and it happened! But you are also right: his Will, His way.
Thanks for the reminder of those verses and His truths.
What I am He knew I would be.
I pray to bring Him honor with all that He’s blessed us with, including the gifts of our vocations.