From the desk

“Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails,” Proverbs 19:21.

Proverbs is a book of wisdom. Yet, so frequently we rehearse the words rather than cling to the truth, all the while placing more “important” issues on the front burners of our conversations.

Sometimes people say this type of “From the Desk” is fluffy, weak, a cop out. It is easy to say that writing witty opinion pieces on politics, war, drugs or money sound more intelligent.

But, Proverbs is the book of wisdom.

Isn’t it peculiar that Proverbs wasn’t written about the secrets of economics, gas prices or political prominence? Yes, all of those things may come into question and are answered throughout the pages of Proverbs, but they are not the main topic of importance.

Proverbs is all about learning to trust in the Lord — learning to accept that his will is going to be done.

With graduation just around the corner, everyone seems to be wondering what steps lay ahead. For me, those steps include decisions that are completely out of my control.

Great, right?

“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…” Psalm 23:1.

Lately, every time I get to that point in the conversation that verse glides through my head. My God is my shepherd. I literally have no need to want for anything.

Even during times of hardship when we can’t see the steps that lay ahead, God is a God of perfect leadership.

So often we take life too seriously, neglecting the real purpose behind it all. If everything is for the Lord, and it is, in fact, his purpose that will remain when all is said and done, then why do we place so much time, effort and value on all that is outside of him?

We fight for hours about which political candidate is best, what color the church carpet should be and what corners should be cut to save some money to bring the “Lord’s” vision into being.

Have we forgotten that he is almighty? All-powerful?

He is going to be faithful to bring his purpose into our reality. That is one thing I am sure of. The struggle comes in accepting that the plans of my heart are many — yet it is the purpose of his that will remain.

The politics of life are complicated, but his yoke makes them easy, his burden makes them light. When all is said and done it is God that has the final say in everything.

Whether you go to graduate school, move cross-country, get married or change jobs, as long as you can manage to neglect all that is trivial and embrace his wisdom, everything will work out according to his purpose, not your plans.

But that means embracing the fact that my plans are not my future.

That is where I am — stuck between politics and Proverbs.