Proverbs 3:5, 6 - Trust in The LORD And Lean Not unto Thine Own Understanding.
Proverbs 3:5, 6 (KJV) Trust in the LORD with
all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he
shall direct thy paths.
INTRODUCTION
Trust involves heartfelt confidence in God.
Leaning has the sense of putting your whole weight
on something, resting on and trusting in that
person or thing. When we have an important decision
to make, we sometimes feel that we cant
trust anyone - not even God. But God knows what is
best for us. And he knows even better than we do
what we really want. We must trust him completely
in every choice we make. We should not omit
careful thinking or belittle our God-given ability
to reason; but we should not trust our own
ideas to the exclusion of all others. We must not
be wise in our own eyes. We should always be
willing to listen to and be corrected by Gods
Word and wise counselors. Bring your decisions to
God in prayer, use the Bible as your guide, and
follow Gods leading. He will make your paths
straight by both guiding and protecting you. [Life
Application SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Road Trip Home
With more than 4.17 million miles of
public roadway, the United States has many scenic
drives. The Interstate System makes up little more
than one percent of that number, with 46,876
miles of road, while a third of the total miles
are unpaved roads. With access to this largest
of networks, it's no wonder many Americans
enjoy road trips.
But imagine taking a trip without a GPS,
maps, or road signs. You'd inevitably lose your
way. Life is no different. With a myriad of
choices, it's easy to feel lost. But Christians have
an advantage - God's promise of direction.
As stated in today's verse, this promise
is conditional upon our absolute trust in God.
If we want God to lead, we need to
"acknowledge Him and find out His will. In the original
Hebrew, the term is also defined as "to know"
Knowing God means understanding His will. Then we
need to relinquish the driver's seat. This isn't
easy. Humans tend to trust the evidence they see
and hear, but God has the highest vantage point.
He sees and knows all things throughout time
and space (Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 46:9, 10; Romans
11:33).
The shortest route to the Promised Land
was along the sea, but God led the Israelites
through the desert wilderness instead. He knew what
they didn't know: that they would lose heart
traveling through enemy territory (Exodus 13:17,18).
From our limited view, God's way may seem like a
dead end. But if we would simply travel in faith
down His path, we would find it to be the
promised road to victory, to salvation, to our
heavenly home.
Almighty God, give me faith to humbly
trust in You, believing that You will lead me in
the way that is best for me. [The Most Amazing
Bible Promises by Amazing Facts]
COMMENTARY
Ah, predicaments Life is full of
them. Sometimes they are of our own making. Other
times they mysteriously happen to us, apart from
anything we caused. Occasionally they are comical and
borderline crazy then, on the other hand, they can
be irritating and troublesome. One thing is for
sure: they're unexpected; we would never have
guessed they would happen. Strangely, predicaments
are unpredictable. And embarrassing. And
confusing. And really weird.
We've all had similar experiences. The
location and the details are different, of course,
but the feelings are the same. How many times
(with tongue in cheek) I've actually prayed, "Dear
Lord, why are you doing this to me?"
Reflect again on Solomon's familiar words:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do
not depend on your own understanding. Seek his
will in all you do, and he will show you which
path to take. Proverbs 3:5"6
I'm comforted when I realize God is in
sovereign control of all of life. He not only knows
the times and the seasons, He is also Lord of
the unexpected and the unpredictable - that's
why you can trust Him above and beyond how you
see life - how you understand your lot. It's
safe to say that not only your times are in His
hands, but your trials are too, even when you feel
embarrassed or confused by what has transpired. Whether
you're on cloud nine, enjoying His blessings, or
caught in the undertow of some complicated
predicament, He hasn't let you go.
Trust Him. Don't rely on your feelings or
emotions. Acknowledge that He is good and at work.
Quit trying to fit all the pieces together - you
can't. He will show you the path to walk. [Chuck
Swindoll www.insight.org.]
CLOSING THOUGHT
There will always be secrets and motives
of God that lie beyond our grasp. God knows
everything; we do not. Only in Heaven will we understand
God's ways more fully. As Paul said, "Now I know
in part, but then I shall know just as I also
am known" (1 Cor. 13:12).
But based upon what we do know about
God's character, demonstrated supremely in the
Cross, we can trust that God is doing what is best
for us. God says in His Word, "I know the plans
I have for you plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future" (Jer. 29:11 NIV).
As Corrie ten Boom once explained,
"Picture a piece of embroidery placed between you and
God, with the right side up toward God. Man sees
the loose, frayed ends; but God sees the
pattern."
God is in control. Whatever comes into
our lives, we can confidently say, "We know that
all things work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are the called according
to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).
Lord, I confess that there is much I
dont understand, but I know that You love me.
Because of that love, I can trust You in every trial
and will follow wherever You lead me. [Hope for
Each Day by Billy Graham]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Proverbs 3:5, 6 - Trust in The LORD And Lean
Not unto Thine Own Understanding.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230916-0941.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220804-0853.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210305-0936.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
