My husband and I are expecting our first child. We are over-the-moon excited for her arrival this winter—but there is still so much to do to get our house and our family ready.

There is preparing for pregnancy: maternity clothes, doctor’s appointments, eating well. There is preparing for labor: classes, a birth plan, a packed hospital bag. There is preparing for postpartum: freezer meals, visitor plans, rest. And there is preparing for our girl herself: clothes, safety gear, a nursery. And so much more.

The consensus is that you are never truly ready to be a parent. You can read all the parenting books, but every kid responds differently to types of discipline. You can research all the ways to keep your kid safe, but a bruise or a scraped knee is coming anyway. None of that is a reason to stop preparing. We are not trying to control our daughter’s future. We are trying to use the knowledge we have now so that we are as ready as we can be when she arrives. We’re blessed to have the collective knowledge of such kind and supportive family, church community, and close friends who have offered to help in any way possible.

But amid trying to steward well, how do we keep wise preparation from sliding into a need for control? We look to Scripture for guidance.

What Proverbs Says About Preparing Wisely

Proverbs has a great deal to say about wise preparation. In Proverbs 24:27, the writer highlights the need for preparation in starting something new: “Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house” (NIV). The writer emphasizes the importance of making sure items are in order before beginning the bigger project of building the house. The builder will need to clear his land, ensuring he has the proper space, and prepare for the foundation of the house being built.

In Proverbs 15:22, Solomon writes, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (NIV). Outside voices strengthen a plan. They spot the weaknesses we cannot see, they tell us when to adjust, and they help us distinguish what is actually ours to control from what is not. Accountability always improves the planning process.

Both passages commend wise preparation. But Proverbs is equally clear about who holds final authority over our plans. Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (NIV). We can plan with all the wisdom and discernment we have, and the Lord’s purpose will still be the one that stands. When preparing, this helps us remain humble. It loosens the grip we tend to take when we believe we have everything figured out. And thankfully, God’s plans are always good.

Trusting God with the Plans You Can’t Control

Proverbs makes it plain: God wants us to prepare wisely. And He has given us what we need to do so—practical wisdom, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the guidance of His Word. Planning with His approach is part of what it means to steward well what He has given us.

But a faithful steward remembers that everything she stewards is ultimately God’s—even the plans she made with biblical wisdom. One way to tell whether preparation has become control is to ask how we would respond if our plans fell through. The answer shows us where our peace is actually resting. For some of us, this is not hypothetical. We face unexpected loss, suffering, and sorrow that is outside of our control. In such situations, hypothetical or not, we are awakened to whether we have placed our trust in our plans or in God.

The need for control grows when we forget that we are not the gods of our own lives. We start believing the lie that we are independent and self-sufficient. But we were made to rest at the feet of a God who can hold what we cannot.

And who God is matters here, because His character is what makes Him trustworthy. He is sovereign, and He is good. He is omnipotent, and He is kind. He is omniscient, and He is loving. We can trust Him because His promises have proven true, and His faithfulness has been attested to—in Scripture, and in the lives of believers ever since.

So plan with wisdom. Steward well the gifts God has given you. But do not put your trust in the plans instead of in the One who holds them. He is good. He loves you. For who is better to surrender control to than Him?

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Author Bio

Leslie Williams writes with a passion for helping women grow in their knowledge of Scripture and confidence in their faith. She teaches online as an adjunct professor at Liberty University and holds an MDiv in Pastoral Counseling. She is currently a PhD student in the Theological Studies program at Liberty Theological Seminary. In her free time, Leslie enjoys reading, running, and meaningful conversations over coffee.

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