Proverbs 16 — Commit Your Way to the Lord

Main Text: Proverbs 16:3
“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

Introduction

Proverbs 16 teaches us one of the great lessons of the Christian life: God must have first place in everything.

We can make our plans. We can have our ambitions. We can decide where we want to go and what we want to accomplish. But ultimately, God is sovereign.

Proverbs 16:9

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”

There is nothing wrong with planning. The problem comes when we make our plans without seeking God.

The wise person does not merely say, “What do I want to do?”

He asks, “Lord, what would You have me do?”

1. God Knows the Heart

Proverbs 16:2 says:

“All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.”

It is very easy to justify ourselves. We can convince ourselves that our motives are right, our decisions are right, and everyone else is wrong.

But God sees deeper than appearances.

People see what we do. God sees why we do it.

We might perform a good deed, but God knows whether it came from love or from a desire to receive praise.

We might say the right words, but God knows whether our hearts are sincere.

Therefore, our prayer should be:

“Lord, search my heart. Show me where I am wrong, and help me to walk in Your ways.”

2. Commit Everything to the Lord

Proverbs 16:3 says:

“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

Many people want God to bless their plans after they have already made them.

But Scripture teaches something better.

Give the plans to God first.

Before making an important decision, pray.

Before beginning a new work, pray.

Before speaking when emotions are running high, pray.

Before choosing which direction to take, pray.

We should be able to say:

“Lord, if this is Your will, open the door. If it is not Your will, close it.”

Sometimes a closed door can be as much an answer from God as an open one.

3. Pride Comes Before Destruction

Proverbs 16:18 gives one of the best-known warnings in the Bible:

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Pride says, “I don’t need God.”

Pride says, “I know better.”

Pride says, “Look what I have accomplished.”

Humility says, “Everything I have comes from the Lord.”

A person can become proud of money, position, education, possessions, influence, or even religious accomplishments.

But we must remember that everything can change very quickly.

Verse 19 tells us:

“Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”

God is not impressed by our status. He looks at our hearts.

The greatest example of humility is Jesus Christ. Though He is Lord, He humbled Himself and went to the cross for sinners.

If our Saviour humbled Himself, how much more should we walk humbly before God?

4. Our Words Matter

Proverbs 16:24 says:

“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

Words are powerful.

With our words we can encourage someone who is struggling, comfort someone who is hurting, strengthen someone’s faith, or tell someone about Jesus Christ.

But words can also wound.

Once something has been spoken, we cannot pull it back.

Before we speak, it would be wise to ask:

Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it gracious? Does it honour God?

A Christian’s words should be different because Christ has changed the heart from which those words come.

We will not always get this right. But when we fail, we should be willing to admit it, apologise, and ask God to help us speak with greater wisdom.

5. Not Every Way That Looks Right Is Right

Proverbs 16:25 warns:

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

Something can feel right and still be wrong.

Our feelings are not the final authority.

Popular opinion is not the final authority.

Society is not the final authority.

God’s Word is our authority.

The world constantly changes its standards. What was condemned yesterday may be celebrated tomorrow.

But God’s truth does not change.

Therefore, we must compare our beliefs, choices, and conduct with Scripture.

The important question is not simply:

“Does this seem right to me?”

The question is:

“What does God say?”

6. Self-Control Is Greater Than Earthly Power

Proverbs 16:32 says:

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”

The world often admires powerful people.

God values something different: a person who can control himself.

It can take greater strength to remain calm than to shout.

Greater strength to forgive than to seek revenge.

Greater strength to walk away from an argument than to win it.

Greater strength to control our tongue than to say everything that comes into our minds.

True strength is not merely controlling other people.

True strength includes allowing God to control us.

7. God Directs Our Steps

Let us return to Proverbs 16:9:

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”

We do not know what tomorrow holds.

We can plan for next week, next year, or even ten years from now. Yet none of us knows exactly what lies ahead.

But the Christian knows something far more important:

We know the One who holds tomorrow.

There may be times when God takes us along a road we never expected.

There may be disappointments.

There may be closed doors.

There may be circumstances we simply cannot understand.

But faith says:

“Lord, I don’t understand this road, but I trust You.”

Conclusion — Who Is Directing Your Life?

Proverbs 16 challenges us to examine our lives.

Are we trusting ourselves, or are we trusting God?

Are we walking in pride, or in humility?

Are our words building people up, or tearing people down?

Are we following what seems right to us, or what God says is right?

Are we asking God to direct our steps?

Perhaps today we need to come before the Lord and say:

“Lord, I have been trying to direct everything myself. I give my plans, my family, my future, my work, my worries, and my life into Your hands. Direct my steps according to Your will.”

And above everything else, we need Jesus Christ.

Our greatest problem is not simply making bad decisions. Our greatest problem is sin, which separates us from a holy God.

Jesus Christ came into this world, died upon the cross for our sins, and rose again.

Salvation cannot be earned through our own goodness. It is received through faith in Christ.

Trust Him. Follow Him. Commit your way unto Him.

For:

“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”
— Proverbs 16:3

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the wisdom of Your Word. Forgive us for the times when pride causes us to trust ourselves instead of You.

Help us to commit our plans and our lives into Your hands. Guard our words, control our tempers, humble our hearts, and direct our steps.

When we do not understand the road ahead, give us faith to trust You.

Most of all, help us to keep our eyes upon Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

May everything we say and everything we do bring honour and glory to Your name.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

      GOD IS A GOOD GOD

GOD KNOWS, GOD LOVES, GOD CARES

Written for Georges Web Ministries.com

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                  9th August 2016