Only the Lord is Competent

We are just not competent to direct our own lives. 

 

“O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

 

God designed us to rely on Him for guidance and direction. He granted us the freedom to choose our own life path (Deuteronomy 30:19). However, if we disregard His counsel, we may deceive ourselves into believing everything is acceptable. We might convince ourselves that our sins are insignificant. However, when the truth of God’s Word emerges, we will realize how foolish our actions were. To ensure that our thoughts and plans align with His will, we must continually reflect on His Word (Romans 12:2).

 

“The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord” (Proverbs 16:1).

 

Proverbs 16:1 emphasizes the need for our hearts to be “prepared.” Psalm 10:17 further underscores this, stating that the Lord will prepare the hearts of those who are humble. By examining Proverbs 16:1 and the preceding verse, Proverbs 15:33, we can understand the profound significance of humility in preparing our hearts. The most significant step we can take to prepare our hearts is to humble ourselves before the Lord. 

 

“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established” (Proverbs 16:3).

 

Proverbs 16:3 emphasizes the importance of our thoughts being “established.” When we humble ourselves and allow the Word of God to renew our hearts, we prepare ourselves to receive His truth. Consequently, we conform to His Word when His truth is firmly established in our hearts (Romans 12:2). 

 

Strong’s Concordance says the Hebrew for “works” in Proverbs 16:3 means “an action [good or bad]; generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product [specifically, a poem] or [generally] property.” 

 

When we entrust all our “works”—our actions and activities—to the Lord, our thoughts and plans will be firmly established. With faith in the Lord’s ability to bring our plans to fruition, He will do it, and we will experience His unparalleled peace as a result (Isaiah 26:3).

 

“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits” (Proverbs 16:2).

 

Only the Lord can accurately assess and guide our lives. We cannot accurately evaluate and direct ourselves. Recognizing this truth humbles us and underscores the significance of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives. This is why we require the Word of God to guide us. Only when we align ourselves with God’s will can we truly realize our divine potential. Therefore, we should not rely solely on our own understanding, but acknowledge Him in all our actions. He will then guide our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

Solomon’s wisdom reveals what happens when we surrender all our actions, plans, and efforts to God’s judgment. The Holy Spirit cleanses us from wrongdoing, enabling us to follow God’s will. His plans become yours, and they will succeed.

Humility is about honoring God above all else (Proverbs 15:33). It is knowing that only the Lord is competent to direct your life. Take a step back from your thoughts and allow the Holy Spirit to evaluate them. Surrender your thoughts, ideas, questions, failures, and accomplishments to God in prayer every day. Your heart will be guided in the right direction (Proverbs 23:19). 

Ultimately, your heart follows your prevalent thoughts. If you keep your mind focused on the Lord, your heart will follow suit. Jesus said that your heart is where your treasure will be (Matthew 6:21). When you keep your heart continually focused on Him, He becomes your treasure, and your heart will be established in His will. 

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