Proverbs 16:9

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Proverbs 20:24

“A man’s steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?”

A number of years ago, I started learning how to play the game of chess. After I learned the moves of the different types of pieces, I started learning a couple of basic strategies of the game. After a while I got a little prideful and thought I really “knew” the game.

Then one day I met a friend of a friend who said he knew how to play chess. He added that he hadn’t played in a long time; he said he was “rusty”. So I invited him and my friend over to my apartment and we began a game. I decided on one of the two strategies I “knew” to start the game. I figured I would go easy on him in the beginning before moving to “checkmate” and victory.

Well, what I didn’t know was that my friend’s friend at one time had aspirations to be a chess master and had played at high level before he got married and started a family.

He immediately saw what I was trying to do and let me make a few “brilliant” moves, all the while leading me in the direction he wanted me to go. He was always in control of the entire game.

After a short while he declared, “Checkmate!” with a lot of pieces still on the board. My pride was hurt. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. Then he had the nerve to ask, “Hey Vic, do you have any more potato chips?” If I wasn’t in shock and embarrassment I would have told him, “No! And I don’t have any other food in the kitchen either.” But my friend had already pulled all the snacks I had out of the pantry and was looking through the refrigerator for more things to eat. They were having a feast while I was nursing my pride.

I had the freedom to make the moves I wanted and thought I was in control of the game, but the “chess master” was always in ultimate control. I was thinking tactically about my next move, but he was thinking strategically —several moves ahead towards an end goal.

God is the ultimate “chess master”. His plans for our lives are long term, with short term “stages” or “seasons”. We may see some of His moves immediately in our lives, but some we won’t see or understand until months, years or even decades later.

Are you confused about what is going on in your life? Have you experienced a huge disappointment that took you by surprise? Are your well thought out plans not turning out like you expected?

Perhaps the “Chess Master” is guiding you in another direction and preparing you for a big move later on. Perhaps He is smoothing out the “rough edges” of your relationship with Him and others to make you more like Christ. Perhaps you just need to pursue Him more than your own ambitions.

So relax in the Lord. You may not understand what He is doing, but you can always trust His heart towards you, for nothing can separate you from His love that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38-39).