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This is Proverb Pic, the daily devotional newsletter that helps Christians become wiser in 2 minutes a day.

Proverb of the day

Proverb Pic

Meditation

This proverb shows us a complex truth about reality. This Proverb says, “How then can anyone understand their own way?” In other words, we wind up where we are in life guided by God’s sovereign hand. We take our steps every day, intentionally, with our free will, but at the end of the day, we can’t take credit. Some people think that either God controls everything in history, following a plan, or we have the freedom to make our own choices. However, the Bible says that both are true at the same time. This might seem confusing, but it's actually really helpful for everyday life. This helps us to be bold because God is in control, and yet we are humble because it was according to his plan.

The apparent tension between human free will and divine sovereignty has been a subject of theological debate for centuries. Saint Augustine, a prominent Christian theologian, grappled with the relationship between God's sovereignty and human free will. Although Augustine affirmed the existence of the human free will, he also held a strong doctrine of sovereignty. Augustine wrote, "He who made you without your participation, does not justify you without your participation. He made you without your knowledge; He justifies you with your willing consent to it."

Proverbs 20:24 and Augustine's views remind us of the complex relationship between God's sovereignty and human agency that is beyond our human capacity to understand. This idea is called "concurrence,” and it is all over the bible. For example, Jesus' death on the cross was planned, but the people who killed him were still responsible for their actions (Acts 2:23).

What does this mean for us? It encourages us to take personal responsibility because our choices can cause success, pain, or problems. But if and when we do make mistakes, we can remember that God will still use our failures in His plan for us. Proverbs 20:24 reminds us that we don't need to worry about not being able to control our future because it's in God's hands. We can live free from anxiety and in the perfect combination of ambition and rest because God is in control.

Prayer

Lord, help us to plan and pray over every step we make and yet rest because we know you are in control and love us.

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