"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord."

Proverbs 16:1

A frustrating reality in work—as well as life in general—is the fact that things do not always work out as planned. Looking back at unmet goals, unfulfilled objectives, and disappointing results can be overwhelming and discouraging. And, in many cases, the disappointing outcomes are due to human failure. Human failure, however, is not always the cause of our lack of success or change of fortune. You and everyone involved in a project may do your absolute best and still fail to achieve expected results. In such cases, some other factor—perhaps a Divine factor—may be involved.

The truth of the proverbs above is commonly summarized as, “Man proposes, but God disposes.” In other words, you can make excellent plans and set reachable goals for your life or at work and move forward to fulfill those plans, but God may have different plans entirely.

It is crucial that you grasp this truth: God does not reveal in advance the entirety of His plan for your life. Making plans and setting goals is a vital part of leading, but as you do so, remain aware that God may overrule your plans. Every plan you make is subject to God’s will.

Wise leadership is seeking God’s will and plan in every decision and then stepping forward in faith and obedience to God’s direction. God is perfectly good, and you can have confidence that He has a good plan for your life, both personally and professionally.

 

Study Questions:

• Can you think of a time when God’s plans were not exactly the plans you had in mind?
• Do you believe that God is always good?
• What does it look like for you to be faithful in where God has you now?

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