Preparation time
The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Proverbs 16:1
Proverbs 16 starts out by talking about preparing your heart. It says that it is the responsibility of each person to prepare or make ready their heart. However, after the preparation is done, God takes responsibility for the outcome. This concept isn’t easy for me to accept or understand. Still, I believe it by faith because I believe God has established it. So today I want to talk about preparing your heart.
What does it mean to prepare your heart and how is it done? Verse 3 says we start by committing all our works or actions to the Lord, then He establishes our thoughts and idea. The Words of our mouth come directly from our thoughts. If God is the one in charge of our thoughts, then it will be His answers that we speak. Preparing your heart has to be done on purpose. To get the best results, a special time of each day needs to be set apart for this process. It is the time that you commit to filling your heart back up with God’s Word, ways and most of all His love. You need to fill your spiritual tank each day and it makes sense that you do it first thing in the morning. When you make your quiet time with God the priority of the day, you are preparing your heart for the day. You commit your words and works to Him, He takes care of the rest. This is a most precious time that you treasure because it is the most important relationship in your life. It is the time you have set aside to get to know your Heavenly Father more and to focus on His love for you.
Verse 9 tells us that a man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Even though your day may already be planned out with things such as work and other activities, as you begin the day with your preparation time, God will direct your steps in the right direction to keep you from evil and harm. As you purpose to follow His direction, you are assured of success. This is not to say that there will never be any trouble. Jesus said, you are in the world, there is going to be trouble. The good news is that God has a way to get you through it, but you have to know and follow His voice in your heart. Spending time with Him at the start of your day will help you to become very familiar with His leading and direction. Psalms 37:4 says that when you delight yourself in the LORD (enjoy spending time with Him) He will place His desire in your heart. You will want to line your life up with His plan.
Today I want to encourage you to prepare your heart, commit your works and follow the steps where the LORD directs. Get up a few minutes earlier each day to have that quiet time with God and offer up your heart and day to Him. Not only in the times of trouble, but in every season of life. The good times and bad. The success of your life is in God’s ways, doesn’t it make sense to commit your all to Him? Not to bless your ideas, but to get His blessed plans and follow them.
Today’s scripture reading: Proverbs 16
The Daily Dose 