Proverbs 3:5-6 (CEB)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    don’t rely on your own intelligence.
Know him in all your paths,
    and he will keep your ways straight.


Reflection

I’m thinking it may be in my best interest to keep a card reminding me of this proverb, or write it across my mirror, or hang a giant banner with this on it so that it’s the first thing I see when I wake up.

When I look back at my own journey of faith and path to ministry, the only times when things went awry was when I didn’t put all my trust in God and I said, “fine, then I’ll handle this myself.” It doesn’t work. If I was seeking guidance from God, was not getting it fast enough, then tried to make something happen myself, I always fell flat. It’s as if God knows what’s actually best for me. Weird.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart…” Right off the bat we’re being asked to do something very difficult. Trust is really hard. Many of us have had our trust broken by other people. Some don’t even trust in themselves fully. The addition of “…don’t rely on your own intelligence” is interesting because in all other times in our life, isn’t that what we’re generally asked to do? Use intelligence and reasoning? But what we know is so tiny compared to God’s vast knowledge! What little I know will likely lead me off the path that God can actually guide me on.

When I find myself wanting to take things into my own hands, I must hold onto the times when I did fully put my trust in God, and remember the beauty God has made from that already. Imagine what else God could do if I only trust!

By Rachel Callender


For Pondering & Prayer

Who is the person in the world you trust most? What characteristics or experiences have made a trusting relationship between the two of you? Do you also see any of these things in your relationship with God? Why or why not? What is one thing you can do to show more trust in the Lord?

Prayer: Lord of all, again and again you have asked us to relinquish our tight grip and offer our full trust in you. We seem to constantly want to keep one foot turned to the side. Forgive us. Help keep our paths straight through the loving relationship you long to have with us. Amen.