Planning and Stepping

A man’s heart plans his way,

But the LORD directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

The issue of Divine Sovereignty has caused some difficulty to believers in Christ.  Not that the Biblical teaching is unclear, but because of our unwillingness to observe it for various reasons.  Sovereignty is not a picture of God controlling every decision of every person throughout all human history.  Sovereignty is, rather, the reality that God is in final control of everything and nothing is out of His jurisdiction.  This verse is a beautiful picture of the balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will.  Think of the care that is put forth in this wonderful verse.  God designed man to plan his way.  God designed man to make choices by godly wisdom and go the right way.  Yet God is so personal and caring that He also is involved with the direction of each step.  We can praise the God who designed us to learn and grow and plan our way, and walk with the confidence that knows that our very steps are directed by the all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful God of the universe.