Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
This is a very commonly quoted verse. For a few years it was what the Lord used to change my entire behavior and attitude when there seemed to be no way forward. I pondered what it meant to trust Him with my WHOLE heart. Questioning myself every morning … “Did I trust Him?” Did I trust Jesus to guide my day? Did I trust Jesus to provide for my financial needs? Did I trust Him to help me with my fears and uncertainty? Was Jesus who I trusted the most? That pondering on just that first portion took several weeks of discipline to just get it settled in my heart and mind. I needed to make certain things a habit in my life — that helped me focus on Him.
“… and do not lean on your own understanding.” Thinking about that … I had to learn to put all of my past behind me, again and again. I needed fresh ‘manna’ every morning, just like the Israelites did in their forty years of desert wandering. I needed to first trust Him and THEN look for my ‘daily needs’ from Him —not from what I expected from Him — but actually hearing what He had for me that day. If I read scripture — I had to ask Him to show me what He wanted me to ‘see’ in it. Reading scripture couldn’t be the same way I had always approached it. I had to have ‘fresh’ revelation. That same practice had to be then spread to all of my other daily things I did. I had to seek Him about it all — even though I had done it a thousand times before. There were so many things He wanted to teach me and to ‘see’ the way He saw them. Not leaning on my understanding made me reliant on what He wanted to tell me about ..everything. This became a new way to navigate my days.
“In all your ways acknowledge Him,” became a revelation of … praise and worship. When you acknowledge Him in everything — you begin to realize He is EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING. The most basic of things like your heartbeat, and lungs taking a breath, become … a time of praise of His grace and goodness. Everything that you encounter becomes an opportunity to ‘see’ Him in a different way. Every person you see becomes a person Jesus loves. Every action you take becomes a revelation — that you are able to do it — just because of Him and His love for you.
‘… and He will make straight your paths.” After practicing these previous disciplines for weeks and month after month — you begin to see certain things so differently. You begin to realize He really …is with you. Then you begin to realize that He is orchestrating things for you only He can do. You begin to ‘see’ all the divine ‘appointments’ He is setting in front of you …everyday. You begin to realize it is “His” path you want and not your own. That you want to be so connected (in His yoke) to Him with every step of your day. Because with Him your days are SO much better… with Him leading and teaching you all the way.
When I first started this process I printed out this verse in such a large way it stretched across the entire wall. It became the foundation for the beginning of each day for me.
Do you really want God greater in your life? It’s your choice. What will you do? How badly do you want Jesus to move in your life?
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33