Proverbs 3:5-6
Thoughts from Amanda Cook
Dive Deeper
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understand. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
Behind the Scenes
I love this verse. I have this picture of me leaning against a flimsy wall versus a concrete pillar. The first, not reliable. If I put all my weight on it, I’m going to go tumbling. The second built to support the entire building. If I lean on that with all my weight, I can trust that it will hold me. So it is if I lean all my weight – or put all my trust in – myself versus my God. If I try to support myself, I’m bound to go tumbling in an out-of-control freefall. BUT, if I put my trust in God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the One who put the stars in the sky and the foundation of the Earth in place, THEN I will be secure. Then I can move forward in confidence of what I’m doing and where I’m going.
Interestingly though, this verse doesn’t say trust the LORD with part of my heart, with a little bit or even most of my heart; it says to trust Him with ALL my heart. You see, if I put even a portion of my trust in myself, I’m still going to go tumbling. I’m still going to falter and fail. Because I wasn’t made to rely on myself even in part. I was made to rely on God and God alone.
I also want to look at the word “acknowledge”. This word means to know, learn to know, to find out and discern. Do you see how cool that is? It’s not saying to acknowledge that God exists and then move on with your life. It says to learn to know Him. That is so amazing. We are to learn to know our God. We are to perceive Him, to distinguish Him from all others, to know Him by experience. And again, that word ALL shows up. We are to learn to know, perceive, and distinguish our God in ALL our ways.
Make it Real
So check this out. As we lean on God in ALL that we do and learn to know our God, distinguish Him from all others, and get to know Him by experience in ALL that we do; trusting fully in His goodness, mercy, grace, and love while putting all our weight on Him; He will, “make straight our paths.” How good is our God?!?
But how does that look in a practical, everyday sense?
It’s watching the news and knowing that I have a very real God that is in control and is bigger than all that is going on in the world.
It’s looking at a sunset with all the colors and acknowledging that it’s not by chance or accident but placed there by the Ultimate Artist.
It’s walking with that friend who is going through something really tough and NOT throwing in my worldly, fleshly two-cents worth but speaking God’s truth even when it’s hard.
It’s digging in His word every day to learn all I can about Him so I can discern His ways.
It’s surrendering authority of my life to Him and Him alone.
Colleen McGeorge
ACF Devo Team
End in Prayer
Thank you God that I don’t have to rely on my faulty understanding. That I can look to You in all I do and know that You are for me and not against. Thank You that each day I see You move in the world around me that I can KNOW that You will continue to move. Thank You for giving us your Word as a guide and reassurance. By the Blood of Jesus we claim Your victory! Amen!