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.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Lean not on your own understanding.
Background
Proverbs. Written by Solomon, the wisest man ever. If there was ever a man capable of relying on his own understanding it was Solomon. But, Solomon felt there was another key ingredient for pursuing straight paths. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Submit to him.
Reflections
When I was a teenager, I learned in James 1:5 that “if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him”. I felt deficient. This verse offered a promise. And so my personal quest began. I felt desperate to tap into this promise. So for years I would pray. And pray. With a singular focus. “Lord, deliver on this promise – I need wisdom”.
And in this process…I became fixated on elevating the pursuit of wisdom as my primary source for problem-solving. Try to problem solve wisely at work. Think. Analyze. Solve. Try to problem solve wisely as part of church or nonprofit leadership. Think. Analyze. Solve. Try to problem solve wisely at home. Think. Analyze. Solve.
Yes, wisdom is a noble pursuit. God was clearly pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom…but is there something else?
There is.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart – don’t lean on your understanding. In all your ways submit to him. And he will make your paths straight.
Wisdom and our own understanding absent of “trust in the Lord” is hollow. Over the last few years I yearn for a life that will chase paths that might run counter to conventional wisdom. Paths that might not make sense from our worldly filters. Or even Christian filters. But paths that might total sense from a heavenly filter. Think. Pray. Trust in the Lord. Submit. Solve. And enable more paths that are much straighter…
Lord, you have been working on me for years here. You know how I think and how I approach challenges. Hopefully in the last few years there are more instances where I’m seeking you. Trusting you. Submitting to you. Even when it doesn’t make sense. I long to be part of movements and organizations that feel the same. But, old habits are difficult to break. Please, graciously enable me to grow in this area. And, by the way, if you want me to use wisdom, please continue to increase my capacity here – you’ve promised…:). I love you. Amen.
What if we truly trusted and sought out the Lord to guide each of our decisions? And submitted?…would our paths become much straighter?
What if... 