Sovereignty over Strategy?

I am fortunate to work for a large consulting firm that specializes in offering top-tier strategies, deliverables, and plans. I’ve had the privilege of facilitating and participating in strategic planning sessions, to create roadmaps, identity key performance indicators, and all the other buzzwords that help position companies for success and long-term growth. And over the years I’ve also worked with and trained with some brilliant people, who are highly skilled in what they do.

So don’t get me wrong – strategy has its place. Planning is important. And I’d suggest that lack thereof isn’t wise.

But friend, the strategy of man is no match for the sovereignty of God. I’m learning that if I’m not careful, the same skills that God has gifted me with can also get me in trouble when I start to rely on them too heavily to chart the course for my life instead of God.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9 NLT

What about you? Have you ever found yourself so focused on your plans, your abilities, and your network, that you forget to leave room for God?

Sovereignty.

A lofty word.

But a word I think would serve us well to sit with for a while.

It defines the very nature of God. It reminds us that He alone has all power, and can accomplish His good pleasure, and His decreed will.

LORD, I know that none of us are in charge of our own destiny; none of us have control over our own life. Jeremiah 10:23 GNT

No matter how well we plan, there will always be circumstances outside of our control. It is in those moments that we must remember that God is ultimately in charge. Trusting in His plan and His timing can bring a sense of peace and comfort, even amid chaos and uncertainty. Instead of relying solely on our own abilities, we can lean on God’s guidance and wisdom to lead us down the right path. I know how difficult it can be to let go of our own desires and ambitions, especially when we have worked so hard to achieve them. However, when we open ourselves up to God’s plan, we may find that His will for our lives is far greater than anything we could have imagined.

Trusting in the sovereignty of God over our strategy also means being patient and accepting that His timing may not align with our own. (This is a hard one.) It requires faith and a willingness to let go of control. But when we do, we can experience a peace that surpasses all understanding and find comfort in the knowledge that we serve a sovereign Lord and loving Father who knows what’s best. So let’s surrender our plans and trust in the One who holds our future in His hands. Amen?