A man’s heart plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps
(Proverbs 16:9)
This verse always seems to pop up in the midst of life changes and big decisions. And college is an environment ripe for such changes and decisions.
As I traveled through college, I was becoming increasingly overwhelmed with all the options and all the unknowns. “What are you doing next?” and “Where do you see yourself in five years?” became the recurring questions from every corner. What was frustrating to me was I didn’t have answers. It felt like that the more I lived my life, the less answers I had. Yes, I was narrowing down which career paths I liked and disliked. But when one option was eliminated, several more popped up. And it wasn’t just career options. Where was I going to live? Would I live with roommates? Who would those be? Where would my community come from? Would I get married?
For a girl who planned her life out by age 10 (or so she thought), this was overwhelming. I wanted to know the plan.
Wanting to know the outcome is a common human experience. One that even ancient kings, like King Jehoshaphat, were not immune to.
Unhappily Unknowing
In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat (try saying that ten times fast) of Judah is faced with a very serious situation with a potentially deadly outcome.
After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
(2 Ch 20:1–4)
To give context, those are three different nations coming against Judah. Jehoshaphat has three enemy armies ganging up on him. Yikes. Add this to the fact that last time he was in battle, he nearly died, and he witnessed the King of Israel take a deadly injury (2 Chronicles 18:28-34). Double yikes. He was faced with a situation that could lead to multiple outcomes –many of those not-so-great. He was at a loss for what to do (2 Chronicles 20:12). He was lost, confused, and trapped. What options did he have? How would he fight back? Should he just give up?
He was completely overwhelmed.
Sound familiar? We’ve all encountered situations where we’ve had no idea what to do. Whether it’s the next steps after college, a career change, raising kids, a financial decision, or relational next steps, there are circumstances we face that leave us saying “I don’t know what to do.”
And that bothers us. We may find ourselves saying, “God if I just knew the plan… if I just knew what was next… if I only knew the outcome, then I’d be fine.” When the path ahead seems blurry, we stress, we complain, we (attempt to) plan, we guess. We hope for a message in the sky or a prophet to tell us what’s next (not kidding, I actually prayed for that). We want something we do not have. That’s the definition of discontent.
Yet, Jehoshaphat was content looking somewhere – or to Someone – else.
The Path
And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
(2 Ch 20:5-6, 12)
Jehoshaphat didn’t dive into planning or work harder or run through the variety of scenarios that could happen. He didn’t cry out in frustrated discontent with not knowing what was next. He didn’t give into anxious thoughts. He set His eyes on God. He let the Guide direct him.
And only when we fix our eyes on the Lord will we know where to go. A classic verse that you may have heard or read before is Proverbs 3:5-6,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Just like in Proverbs 16, we see the word “direct.” Direct means to “aim in a particular direction.” When I think of this word, I think of a shepherd. The sheep follow the shepherd as he or she guides them along. If one of the sheep starts to move in the wrong direction, the shepherd uses the staff to direct them back on to the right path.
God does the same with us. He walks out ahead of us. He has a plan. When our eyes are set on God, He will provide those next steps. If we plan and begin to move in the wrong direction, God will direct our steps back on to the path. God knows where to go, but we must look to Him for direction.
This is exactly what Jehoshaphat experienced.
One Foot in Front of the Other
In the next verse we see God speak through a prophet (probably why I prayed for one myself), telling Jehoshaphat what to do next.
‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you.
(2 Ch 20:15–17)
A tinge of jealousy might arise when you read this. Jehoshaphat had answers, right? No wonder he was content. He knew what to do! But I encourage you to read closer.
Jehoshaphat is given a step and a promise. His step is to “go out against them” and “stand firm.” I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like a very detailed plan. But that’s the next step God gave. Jehoshaphat didn’t get the ending. He didn’t get to know what God was going to do. He didn’t receive the time table. We often don’t either.
As a Christian trying to walk according to God’s plan and not knowing the immediate outcome can be extremely frustrating. Why won’t God just give me the answers? I’m fixing my eyes on Him. The least He could do is tell me what’s next.
But maybe the reason we don’t know the full plan is because we don’t need it. God gives us everything we need (Philippian 4:19). By only giving us the next step or two, He is showing that us being in the know is not necessary. Maybe answers would only distract us from the One who can make us truly content. Maybe this is the way God helps us to be content in the Planner instead of the plan.
Jehoshaphat didn’t receive the full plan, but what he did receive was much better.
…the battle is not yours but God’s… and the LORD will be with you.
(2 Chronicles 20:15, 17)
This is a promise. God would handle the battle. God would handle the plan. AND He would be right there with Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah.
Just as God was with them in the battle, He is with us in our battles.
The Satisfying Guide
God is not a stingy Father. He gives abundantly to His children (Matthew 7:11). Although He may only give the next step to us, He gives us something even better to be content in… Himself.
He will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8)
He is with us always to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)
He will be with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9)
He loves us with unshakeable love (Isaiah 54:10)
He dwells with us through the Holy Spirit (John 14:17)
I don’t have any more answers now than I had three years ago. As I near graduation (nervous laughter), that is even more scary. And I have to choose to be content not with answers, but with God Himself. I have to choose to be content not knowing what 20 steps ahead might look like but only knowing what my current step is. I have to choose to fix my eyes not on the path ahead, straining to see around the bend, but to fix my eyes on God who will eventually make it all straight.
And this isn’t “settling.” This isn’t a religious band-aid to put on hard situations. God is more than anything we could ask for or imagine. His love is deeper than anything we could experience on earth. His care is greater than the most caring of creatures. His beauty and glory is so much higher.
His presence is so much better. And that’s what He offers us.
So, yes, we may not have the plan. But God is with us, and that promise brings contentment with every step.
Overwhelmed 