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 your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Knowledge and wisdom are two very different things. You may havelearneda great deal, but knowledge is not wisdom. Sometimes young people are fooled into believing the lie that because they know more than someone else, they are wiser. Most of life lessons are taught in the living. Experience will teach you whether you listen or not.
I heard a speaker share with students about a bird and the nest and the little birds leaving the nest. She spoke of the struggle and then the final flight. “Fly!” she said, “Soar!” My thought was a bit different. I saw a cat eat the bird because he didn’t know about the dangers of being out of the nest. Too many students leave the nest and get eaten alive by the world without the protection and wisdom of their parents and God.
This second part of the verse above is a warning…and do not lean on your own understanding. Let’s admit it – most of us think we can figure things out on our own. We can do just fine by ourselves – thank you. If we try to figure out life and handle every decision that comes our way, we will be in trouble, as this verse in Proverbs warns: If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.” Proverbs 28:26 (MSG) That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use common sense or the wisdom that God gives us, but it does mean that we should not trust on our own understanding for total support.God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. Trust Him to work it out.
Don’t think you can do it alone. …in all your ways submit to him. The arena of absolute trust is "all thy ways".This is a command to guard against only acknowledging God in times of trouble and acts of worship. The area where God is screened out is generally the place of our greatest defeat. To "acknowledge"God in a situation is to open the door for His intervention, support, and His direction.
How many areas of your life does God's opinion have little or no effect? Have you ever seen the bumper stickers that say, “God is my co-pilot”?That might be intended to be good, but God does not want to be your co-pilot; He wants to be your pilot. He may give you a seat in the first class, but He wants total control of your life.
God Will Get You Through…and He will make your paths straight.
Myth: God’s greatest goal for my life is my HAPPINESS. God is more concerned about your character than He is about your comfort. Nothing on this earth grows without stress. Though the path may be straight it will still lead through valleys and deserts and over mountains and rivers. In order for our character to change, sometimes He allows us to go through some pretty tough times. It is tough times that build character. God reveals His will as we trust and obey Him day by day. God does not drop down a simple blueprint for our life from heaven. As we walk with the Lord, He shows us the way. It is like walking in the dark with a powerful flashlight. As we walk forward, we see the way ahead, but only one step at a time.
From time to time God gives a flash of light that allows us to see miles ahead. But normally we walk in step by step obedience. God’s will is a way of adventure and abundant life. Doing God’s will does not mean living a hard and frustrating life. God is for us and not against us. He wants us to have a life of joy and fulfillment. God can overcome even our greatest failures. That’s what the Bible is all about. So, don’t think it’s over when you fall down. Get up and go on with what you learned!
