He Will Establish My Plans

To humans belong the plans of the heart,
    but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.

All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
    but motives are weighed by the Lord.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans.

The Lord works out everything to its proper end—
    even the wicked for a day of disaster.
Proverbs 16:1-4

Scripture Notes

Much of Proverbs is about wisdom, but here, in chapter 16, there is a switch. More comparative language is used for each line. Where in previous chapters, God’s presence had been implicit, now we are told explicitly that the Lord is near.

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.

We are planners. People plan out all kinds of things, whether excitement, fear, or obligation drives the preparation. It is good to plan, but we cannot let our hearts be set, for we do not know what tomorrow will bring. We must allow ourselves to release expectations and leave more room for the Lord to work in our lives.

One of my favorite lines that clarifies our position with God was shared by Mark Charles in Unsettling Truths, quoting Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

“Man’s limit is in the middle of his existence, not on the edge. The limit which we look for on the edge is the limit of his condition, of his technology, of his possibilities. The limit in the middle is the limit of his reality, of true existence.”

Bonhoeffer tells us that sin transpires when man attempts to exceed or transcend that limit. We sin when we try to go beyond human limitations and try to enter God’s territory. This is true with plans of the heart. We exceed our limitations when we try to overly control circumstances or time. When we expect that we know what the best outcome is or that we even have a tomorrow, we exceed our limitations. We have been made in God’s image but were not made to surpass our Maker. Instead, we balance our hopes and plans with the Lord and his will (James 4:13-15).

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:3-4

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.

It is easy to become high and mighty when we have done something good. Some of us even smile to ourselves that we have not made a big show of our goodness or shouted our acclaim in the streets. And yet, what may seem pure and good to us can sometimes inadvertently cause distress to someone else. If we focus solely on the feeling of being weighed down by our sinful nature, this would be a despairing verse. But we are shown that the Lord sees our motives, ulterior and otherwise. He sees into the very depths of our souls and determines our intentions.

This idea brings new light to the motive of ‘The Ends Justify the Means,” as many people act perhaps in a distasteful way as a way to reach a desired end. The self-satisfying way of appearing morally upright compared to others is not enough. We do not take the final measure, but the Lord examines our hearts to know our intent and inclination.

Vs. 2 is warning us to be cautious of those who claim their actions are for a just and righteous cause. The Pharisees believed their actions were pure and virtuous, but the Lord called them hypocrites. An outward showing of religion is worthless (Amos 5:21-24); God wants to see our hearts motivated by faith, hope, and love. Sadly, in our world, sacrifice, humility, and compassion are often mocked. But what the world mocks, the Lord often values, and what the world thinks highly of He detests (Lk 16:15).

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

1 Timothy 1:5

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

Aligning our plans and desires with the purpose of the Lord is where we can find the greatest satisfaction. Following God does not necessarily translate to earthly success (John 16:33). However, being committed to God’s will transcends the mindset of our temporary situation and recognizes the eternal plans of the Lord. The desire for earthly wealth, power, and fame seems small and insignificant when looking through the lens of faith, anticipating the glory of the Lord. And we know worldly aspirations will fade and be destroyed by rust and time (Matt 6:19-21). Instead, we are called to seek the Kingdom of God and commit ourselves to His purpose.

He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him, regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:9-12

The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.

Although God did not “create” evil because everything he made was good, what makes something evil is when it is twisted and manipulated to a purpose it was not meant for. Everything has a purpose, but even something twisted and misshapen can be used for good. Even when we work contrary to God, He can use our defiance to accomplish His will.

A difficulty arises when innocent people seem to suffer without being at fault. It is easy to challenge God and ask why something terrible has happened. Do we say, “God, why have you done this?” No, for we know it is folly for the created to attack the Creator (Rms 9:19-22). Suffering results from a broken world that deepens the gap between ourselves and God.

Suffering is not a creation flaw of the Almighty (Rms 8:18–21) nor a sign that the Lord is weak or reliant on the people of this world. Quite the opposite. He is entirely in control and with purpose. We should set our plan by the Lord and seek out his purpose. We already know some of His plans, although we do not know all the inner workings and details. God wants to show Himself to us, redeem the lost, and be glorified. When we hide ourselves, rejoice in the downfall of others, and glorify ourselves, it is then that we find destruction and despair.