“TRUSTING IN THE LORD”

Proverbs 3: 5, 6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

If you would ask the average Christian, “are you trusting in the Lord?” you would probably get this answer: “Of course I’m trusting in the Lord. I’m a Christian!” However, there are different levels of trust. There is salvation trust where the Gospel is presented, we are made aware of our sin of unbelief by the Holy Spirit and we trust Jesus to save us. This puts us in God’s family. There is trust for our daily needs. This includes trusting God to keep us healthy so we can work and provide for our family.

Then there is another level of trust which is what is in view in Proverbs 3: 5 and 6 when you come up against a problem that is larger than you’ve ever seen before. You try your best to figure some way to get through it. The harder you try the more complex the problem becomes. Finally you throw up your hands in despair. “What’s the use?” you ask. “I’m helpless against this barrier in my life. What’s a person to do?” Ever been there? I know some of you have. Some of you are there now. It’s quite a bit different than trusting God for daily needs, isn’t it?

Yes, God calls each one of His children, sooner or later, to this highest level of trust. He does it to prove Himself to us. André Crouch wrote in one of his songs:

If we never had them (trials) we’d never know we need Him.

Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,

I’ve learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all,

I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

That is what is in view in this passage:

• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” This means with all your inner being - all you are.

• “And lean not on your own understanding.” This is perhaps the most difficult of all for us to do. We are naturally programmed to trust ourselves. But in cases like this, it is not good to lean on our own understanding.

• “In all your ways acknowledge Him.” This takes in our daily needs and the otherwise immovable mountains in our path. We acknowledge that God is the One we look to.

• “And He will direct your path.” God not only knows everything, He also sees everything. He can see around corners. I’ve always taken great comfort in that fact. Literally, He will make your paths straight. Ever feel like your way was blocked? That something was in your path and you couldn’t get around it? Or that you were going down a crooked road and couldn’t see clearly? I’ve been there a few times. These are the times when God makes the crooked places straight. He will make the crooked places straight for you.

Let’s work on this highest level of trust together. I’m faced with it every day. I’m sure many of you are. Happy trusting!

Love to you all.