Proper Direction

I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself,
that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
- Jeremiah 10:23

In the meme-ridden, motivational, TED Talk and inspiration-saturated social media society in which we live, it is important to remember to deploy discerning filters for the “good” content as much as for the bad.

We are constantly reminded by the world around us and the feeds on our phones just how much we don’t have, how we don’t measure up, all that we’re missing out on and how far we have left to go to achieve our dreams. The air we breathe is the stuff of comparison, inadequacy and envy.

But in countering those messages, we must be sure not to swing the pendulum too far in the other direction. Though well-intentioned, the so-called “good” inspirational and motivational content can end up having just as much of a detrimental effect on our self-conception as well as our understanding of how reality actually works. All of the positivity can lie to us just as readily as the other stuff.

When we consult with God in His Word, we learn that we do not control our own destiny, we do not create our own luck, and we are not ultimately responsible for our own success or the fulfillment of our dreams. In fact, we cannot achieve much of anything without His permission and all of the inspirational content in the world will not empower us to make of our lives what we might have them to be.

“Apart from me, you can do nothing,” Jesus taught in John 15:5. And God declares that it is He who gives people the ability to create wealth in Deuteronomy 8:18.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain,” Psalm 127:1 says, and if we do not acknowledge this sovereign will of God over both our lives and our business endeavors, James 4 tells us, we’re operating from a boastful, presumptuous heart.

None of this is to say that we are not responsible for how we respond to the circumstances and dynamics God places in our lives. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” Paul instructs in Colossians 3:23, just as Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” God made us for work and commands us to do it. But the responsibility of work does not bring with it the responsibility for the outcome of our endeavors.

God is more interested in your faithfulness than your success.

God is more concerned with the state of your heart than the state of your bank account.

God is more pleased with your reliance on Him than He is with how much you achieve.

So, work hard, but work hard knowing that the standards of God are not those of the world. Strive to better yourself, but do so with grace, knowing that every perceptible inch of progress comes more from the hand of a gracious God that loves you than it does from your own efforts. And kill every instinct you have to compare yourself to other people: the purposes God has for you are more distinct than your own fingerprint or DNA (II Corinthians 10:12).

Learn to filter all of the “good” messaging just as much as the bad: eat the meat, but spit out the bones. Take responsibility for your life, but do so with proper biblical perspective: don’t try to assume authority over the things God has not granted to you.

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“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9.