MAN PROPOSES GOD DISPOSES

[Pastor Bayo Afolaranmi]

Dearly Beloved,

MAN PROPOSES GOD DISPOSES

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (Proverbs 19:21 NIV).

Human beings have many plans both short-term and long-term that they intend to accomplish. Most of these plans even have definite times that human beings want to carry them out. The fact that human beings could carry out these plans as planned makes them take most of these plans for granted. It is only when such plans cannot be carried out as planned that human beings resort to fate or chance. Most of the time, many people do not remember that it is God that disposes what man proposes. Many people indeed have forgotten the words of the writer of the book of Proverbs: "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" (16:9 NIV).

This fact was evident in my affairs recently. I could not meet my target in the office that day, so I planned that I will do extra work in the office the following day. However, as I was preparing to set out for the office on the following day, I received a phone call from one of my cousins that he had an auto accident the previous night, that he was in a hospital receiving treatment from injuries he sustained from the accident, and that I should come to his aid there immediately. I was destabilized by the news because that would mean I will not be able to go to my office that day to carry out my daily duties and even do extra work as I planned the previous day. Though, the relation was discharged that day from the hospital, I spent the whole day attending to his needs and could not do anything that I planned beforehand for the day. Man proposes, God disposes!

Only if human beings will realize this and always involve God in their planning. James in his epistle said, "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that'" (James 4:13-15 NIV).

What are your plans for the next minute, hour, day, week, month, or year? Do you involve God in these plans? Can you specifically say what will happen in the next minute not to talk of next year? The bottom-line is that only God determines what will happen next minute, hour, day, week, month, or year. However, this does not mean that one must not have a plan or purpose for his future activities either short-time or long-time. Only acknowledge God in everything you are planning to do, and He will keep you on the right track (see Proverbs 3:6).

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).