How do we become successful, and what is the key?
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3, NIV.
At first, that looks like a clear, and simple verse. It looks like a formula for easy success, but if you look deeper you find there's more to it because to commit something to the Lord is hard.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO COMMIT
Commit is not a word you hear every day. You might hear someone had committed a crime, meaning it happened. You might say, I made a commitment, meaning a promise you will surely keep. You may say I will commit something to memory, meaning I will put it to memory for good. You might say, I am committed to a cause, meaning you are given over to it.
To commit something to the Lord is all of this and it will also be...
This is a way of life verse; it says, "whatever you do;" so it could be anything: a job, career, school, housework, or marriage. This verse is so totally open-ended it is like saying commit to the Lord anything you do; or maybe we should say, commit to the Lord everything we do. That might change everything for us!
OUR PROBLEM
We find we are very committed to ourselves. We need to begin with prayer and confession. We need to search our motivations because we know we cannot commit sinful plans to the Lord. We remember, he must increase and I must decrease.
WHAT HAPPENS
When we commit our plans to the Lord something will happen, we get more of the Lord. We find him there and discover more about him, for his plan is that we know him.
GOD WILL SUCCEED
God's idea of success may not be what we had in mind. We may want a bigger paycheck, he may want us to have more trust; we may want loving relationships, he may want us to be forgiving; we may want a big title, he may want us to wash the disciple's feet. If we commit our plans to the Lord we are committed to his definition of success. When we are committed to allowing God to work our success as he sees fit we will find greater success than we originally envisioned.
To compare this verse in other translations visit this link: Proverbs 16:3."Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3, NIV.
At first, that looks like a clear, and simple verse. It looks like a formula for easy success, but if you look deeper you find there's more to it because to commit something to the Lord is hard.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO COMMIT
Commit is not a word you hear every day. You might hear someone had committed a crime, meaning it happened. You might say, I made a commitment, meaning a promise you will surely keep. You may say I will commit something to memory, meaning I will put it to memory for good. You might say, I am committed to a cause, meaning you are given over to it.
To commit something to the Lord is all of this and it will also be...
- To honor the Lord.
- That the end will please Him.
- That He will be in charge.
- That I will be submissive to His instructions.
- That the cause of the Lord will be advanced.
- That people will look and see God, not me.
- And that He might (and probably will) change the plans.
This is a way of life verse; it says, "whatever you do;" so it could be anything: a job, career, school, housework, or marriage. This verse is so totally open-ended it is like saying commit to the Lord anything you do; or maybe we should say, commit to the Lord everything we do. That might change everything for us!
OUR PROBLEM
We find we are very committed to ourselves. We need to begin with prayer and confession. We need to search our motivations because we know we cannot commit sinful plans to the Lord. We remember, he must increase and I must decrease.
WHAT HAPPENS
When we commit our plans to the Lord something will happen, we get more of the Lord. We find him there and discover more about him, for his plan is that we know him.
GOD WILL SUCCEED
God's idea of success may not be what we had in mind. We may want a bigger paycheck, he may want us to have more trust; we may want loving relationships, he may want us to be forgiving; we may want a big title, he may want us to wash the disciple's feet. If we commit our plans to the Lord we are committed to his definition of success. When we are committed to allowing God to work our success as he sees fit we will find greater success than we originally envisioned.
If you want to find out more about how to have God in your life follow this link: Click Here.
© Adron 11/24/12
