Daily Devotionals

May 1, 2020

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

These verses are among the most often quoted, most often remembered, and most often appreciated in the Bible. I am certain that many of us have posted these two verses on our bathroom mirrors or the dashboards of our cars. Others of us have memorized these verses or shared them with friends. They offer great encouragement to us. So let’s take a look at what these two verses teach us.

 

There are three instructions and one promise:

  • There is an instruction to trust the Lord with all your heart. Trust requires us to let go of our own control of a situation and allow God to be in charge. It is challenging for us, especially when we want to manage every aspect of our lives instead of trusting God to be in control.
  • There is a negative instruction that we not lean on our own understanding. In some ways this is re-stating the previous instruction to trust. But it takes it a step further, instructing us not to trust (lean on) ourselves for wisdom or direction.
  • There is an instruction to submit to God in all our ways. Submission, like trust, is very hard for us. We are told by our culture that we are the masters of our lives. Submitting to God means we are allowing (even welcoming!) God to tell us how we should live and what we should value.
  • Then there is a promise: God will make our paths straight. This is not a promise that everything in life will be easy. Instead, it is a promise that our lives will have meaning and purpose as we walk in the way God instructs instead of according to our own notions of what is best.

In this time of great confusion in our society, brokenness in our nation and world, and challenge as we consider our way forward, may we consider deeply the instructions, as well as the promise of Proverbs 3:5–6.

For Reflection


In what ways am I trying to direct my own life and lean on my own understanding?


How can I more fully and completely trust God to lead and direct me?


What is one area of my life that I can more fully submit to the Lord?

Prayer


Good and gracious God, I confess that I often trust myself and lean on my own understanding. Please forgive me. Help me instead to trust You with all my heart. I ask for Your help to submit to You in all my ways. I thank You and praise You for the truth that You will make my paths straight. Amen.

Dr. Barry Gaeddert
Pastor for Spiritual Formation
404-842-2194