Proverbs 16:3 states, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” This verse teaches an important principle about trusting God with our work and plans. When we commit our work and plans to the Lord, He can guide, bless, and establish them for His glory and our good. Here are some key things to understand about committing our work and plans to God:
What does it mean to “commit” our work?
The word “commit” here means to entrust or give over. To commit our work to the Lord means surrendering our work and activities to His control and direction. It’s recognizing that He is Lord over every area of life, including our work. We acknowledge through prayer and faith that we want Him to guide and oversee our work. Committing our work may involve asking God for wisdom on decisions, relying on Him for strength and integrity, and seeking to honor Him in how we work.
Why should we commit our work to God?
There are several key reasons we should commit our work to the Lord:
- He is sovereign over all things and has the power to guide and bless our efforts (Prov. 16:9; Matt. 6:25-34). Surrendering to His sovereignty brings comfort and freedom from anxiety.
- He knows better than we do what is best for our lives and work situation (Rom. 8:28). His plans are wiser than ours.
- Our work matters to Him. He cares about our daily labors and wants us to see meaning in them (Col. 3:23).
- He wants to shape us more into the image of Christ even through our daily work (2 Cor. 3:18).
- Working to please God and serve others is a significant part of our calling and purpose on earth (Eph. 2:10).
What are practical ways to commit our work to God?
Practical ways we can commit our work and plans to the Lord include:
- Praying over decisions at work and asking for wisdom to honor Him (James 1:5).
- Starting each day asking the Lord to guide us and working as if for Him (Col. 3:23).
- Consistently relying on His strength for tasks rather than our own.
- Checking our motives to ensure we’re working to glorify Him.
- Asking for His help with challenging people or situations.
- Speaking words of truth and life into the workplace.
- Looking for ways to serve others through our work.
- Walking in integrity and excellence as a reflection of Him.
- Seeking to impact others for Christ through our character and conduct.
What does it look like to commit our plans to God?
In addition to our daily work, this verse exhorts us to commit our plans to the Lord. Our “plans” refer to bigger life decisions and goals we make in addition to our routine work. Examples include:
- Plans for our career or job situation.
- Plans for education and training.
- Financial plans.
- Family plans such as having children.
- Plans for ministry involvement.
- Major purchases or investments.
- Where to live.
- Relationships and marriage plans.
Making major plans without seeking the Lord is presumptuous and can lead us astray. “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Prov. 19:21). We should seek His will in all our planning.
Why does committing our plans to God lead to being established?
When we commit our work and plans to the Lord in dependence and faith, He promises to guide and establish them. “Established” means He will confirm them, provide direction, and bring stability as we follow His ways. Reasons committing our plans to God leads to being established include:
- He knows the future and best path for our lives better than we do (Isa. 46:10).
- His wisdom directs us to choices yielding the greatest blessing and fulfillment (Prov. 3:5-6).
- He oversees and ordains the opportunities and relationships needed to establish plans according to His will (Acts 17:26; Ps. 37:23).
- Walking in obedience positions us to receive His supernatural favor and provision (Ps. 1:3).
- He is able to protect our plans from harm or steer us around pitfalls we are unaware of (Prov. 16:9).
- He sees our gifts, passions, and purpose more clearly than we do and guides us accordingly (Jer. 29:11).
What attitudes please God when making plans?
Certain attitudes bring blessing and establish our plans when we commit them to God:
- Humility – recognizing He is wiser than us and we need His guidance (Prov. 11:2).
- Patience – waiting on His timing and direction rather than rushing ahead impatiently (Ps. 27:14).
- Dependency – relying on Him daily rather than self-sufficiency (Ps. 20:7).
- Trust – confidence in His sovereignty, goodness, and promises (Prov. 3:5-6).
- Obedience – submitting to His will once revealed, rather than insisting on our own (John 14:21).
- Faith – stepping out in ways requiring dependence on Him (Heb. 11:6).
What are dangers of not committing plans to God?
Dangers and consequences of making plans without consulting God include:
- Plans formed solely by our limited perspective and wisdom, doomed to fail or lead to unfulfillment (Prov. 14:12).
- Arrogance and self-sufficiency take root when we leave God out of our plans (Luke 12:16-21).
- We become enslaved to our own agenda rather than walking in freedom guided by the Spirit (Gal. 5:1).
- Burnout, anxiety and emptiness result when pursuing our own goals rather than God’s purpose for our lives.
- Relationships and priorities can get out of balance when we don’t consider God’s will for time management (Matt. 6:33).
- Lack of God’s supernatural favor and daily grace to establish our plans and work (James 4:2).
How can parents teach these principles to children?
Parents have tremendous opportunity to model committing plans to God for children. Ways to teach children include:
- Pray together for guidance and wisdom over plans and decisions.
- Discuss how God’s Word should inform choices and goals.
- Share testimonies of God’s faithfulness and timing over your plans.
- Review Bible characters who sought and followed God’s direction.
- Encourage journaling and quiet times to learn dependence on God.
- Instruct children to seek wise counsel but ultimately follow the Lord.
- Remind them that talents and gifts come from God for us to use for Him.
- Affirm examples when you see them trusting God’s plans rather than peers or culture.
How can we encourage others to commit plans to God?
We can inspire others to seek God over their plans through:
- Reminding them of how valuable they are to God and how He has good plans for them (Jer. 29:11).
- Challenging them to pray and evaluate if their plans align with Scripture and God-given purpose.
- Asking questions to assess if they are seeking or trusting God versus self-dependence.
- Praying together for God to guide decisions and make His will clear.
- Sharing Scripture on seeking God and depending on Him rather than self.
- Testifying how God has directed your plans and the blessings that resulted.
- Exhorting them to patiently wait on God’s timing rather than rushing ahead of Him.
- Advising them to seek and heed wise, godly counsel.
- Considering doing a Bible study together on God’s sovereignty and trusting Him.
What should we do after committing plans to God?
Once we have prayerfully committed plans to the Lord and seek His will, we can move forward in the following ways:
- Wait patiently on Him to direct the next steps rather than rushing ahead (Ps. 40:1).
- Look for confirmation and open doors He provides along His chosen pathway.
- Expect and anticipate His favor and supernatural blessing if obedient.
- Act in faith once His will is made clear.
- Continue depending on Him daily for guidance and grace rather than self-reliance.
- Rest in His sovereignty knowing He can steer us if needed.
- Walk in humility and teachability should His plans differ from ours.
- Move forward with boldness and joyful expectation.
The Lord delights to direct and establish the steps and plans of those who commit their ways to Him in dependence and trust. As we commit our work and plans to God each day, He will guide our lives with greater wisdom, bear fruit through us, shield us from harm, and establish the work of our hands for His glory.