Daily Dwelling

Proverbs 3: 5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight.”

It is natural for us to put our trust in someone or something, even if it is ourself. That seems to be the case for me. I have brought this struggle before the Lord and I think from many years of me putting my trust in the people around me and being let down I learned that in order for things to be done right I must do it myself. It has caused me to doubt that the Lord will love me well, protect me, guide me effectively and share His goodness with me.

Solomon was advising his son to trust the Lord because he had learned that the Lord is worth trusting! He was speaking from his own experience. The word translated trust literally means to lie helpless, facedown. It is a picture for us to keep in mind of a servant waiting for their masters command. That is what it looks like to trust Him with all of our heart.

What does it mean to lean not on our own understanding? We must surrender our will to the Lord’s. When we truly believe that God’s will is for our good, protection and His glory then we begin to yield up our control with joy and ease. We must begin and continue to distinguish lies that tarnish the truth of who God is because it prevents us from truly surrendering every dream, goal and desire to Him.

He then says, “in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight.” Many believers do not actually desire to follow God’s path for their lives. They would much rather direct their own steps. But when we go forward in peace believing that through God’s word, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and wise counsel, God will indeed direct our paths we will look back on every part of our life and know every part was God ordained.