Proverbs 3:5-6 “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.”
Let’s take time to really understand what it means to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart”? In summary, the passage we just read is teaching us the supreme wisdom of having perfect trust in God, showing us the insufficiency of human understanding in comparison to the complete sufficiency of God.
Nowadays men and women boast in the fact that they rely on themselves and are self-sufficient. In fact no one likes to be told what to do and will point with pride on their own abilities and achievements. People lean on their own understanding and remain confident in their own abilities. But the Bible tells us that leaning on our own understanding is like leaning on a weak wall or structure, which is brittle and can fall down any time. If such a structure cannot support us we will fall to the ground and be hurt. We need to lean and trust in the immovable rock who is Christ. What we need to realize is that nothing is possible if it weren’t for God’s provision through His grace on your life. This concept of trusting in the Lord with all your heart is actually the basis and foundation of our Christian walk as followers of Christ. What we are being taught through this passage is the concept of “walking by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)”. Again it says in Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him,”.
The type of faith and trust required according to this passage in Proverbs 3:5, is not merely just a belief but to have such a belief that it leads us to have complete confidence in God, confidence in who He is, and does for us, and asks of us and in turn requiring an appropriate response from our part. Friends, this is the type of trust you must have towards God. Trusting Him with all your heart, it comes through a living faith whereby we live in a conscious response to God’s love and its demands on us. Knowing and trusting that he has got control of our tomorrow because we walk in obedience to Him today. Amen.
Secondly we need to acknowledge God in all of our ways. This means to recognize that He is God and acknowledge His authority upon all things. This is what is required of us as children of God. Colossians 3:17 says “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
This means you need to acknowledge God in all areas of your life. Acknowledge Christ in your work. Acknowledge Him by recognizing that He has given you your work and expects you to do it well by praying for help and strength to overcome your weaknesses. You need to acknowledge Him in your free time by recognizing that He gives this time to you and you must thank Him for it. Acknowledge God in your relationships and friendships and ask God to direct those relationships. Acknowledge God in your future and ask Him to direct your paths. Keep him at the center point of all that you do.
This means to keep God at the forefront of your mind and in every event of your life. Godly living is not just for the Sunday but you need God’s involvement every single moment of your life, from waking up in the morning to going to sleep at night.
When you start to do this by trusting God and acknowledging Him in all you do, the scriptures promise that God will make your paths straight. The commentator Matthew Henry says it this way:
“Those that put themselves under a divine guidance shall always have the benefit of it. God will give them that wisdom which is profitable to direct, so that they shall not turn aside into the by-paths of sin, and then will himself so wisely order the event that it shall be for their good. Those that faithfully follow the pillar of cloud and fire shall find that though it may lead them about it leads them the right way and will bring them to Canaan at last.” – Matthew Henry
You see, the path of life that the Lord leads us does not necessarily mean an easy trouble free walk, but what it means is that He is always with you, protects you, guides you and from Gods perspective this path is a straight path that leads you exactly where God wants you, to our eternal dwelling place with Christ in His presence. Amen.
So in conclusion, Trust in the Lord with all you heart. Do not lean on your own understanding or abilities. Acknowledge God in every aspect of your life and follow the spiritual cloud and fire by the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life. Then God will lead you according to His ways leading you straight into the paths of abundant life and a joyous relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
God Bless.
Sources
Gills Exposition of the entire Bible
Expositors Dictionary of Texts
Great Texts of the Bible
H.P. Liddon (University Sermons, 1st series)
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/straightening-our-paths
