Trust in the LORD

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Sometimes it is asked, "But what does it mean to trust in the Lord? What does it look like?" Well, these two verses help us to see. To trust in the Lord means, first of all, to lean not on your own understanding. To trust in the Lord, then, means that we are being directed by God's wisdom, by the fear of the Lord. And that means that we are bringing our lives more and more into conformity with God's word. God's wisdom and man's wisdom are two different things, as the apostle Paul argues in 1 Cor. 1-4. So if we are going to avoid the wisdom of man, we must consciously seek God's wisdom, and this wisdom is to be found in Holy Scripture. To trust in the Lord, then, means that we believe everything the Bible tells us and that we are hoping in its promises and obeying its commands.

Second, it means that we are acknowledging God in all our ways. I take this to mean at least a life of prayer. For how better can one acknowledge God than by praying to him, by lifting up our needs and wants and complaints to him who is kind and merciful and promise-keeping and faithful? I think both of these elements to trusting God can be summarized in, "Believe God's word and pray God's word."

Then we have a wonderful promise: and he shall direct thy paths. Is this not what we should all desire? When I get my own way, then I have problems. I do not want to be left to myself, as King Hezekiah was. I do not want to be led into temptation; I want to be delivered from evil and from the evil one. I want God to direct my paths, even if those paths go through the valley of the shadow of death - for when he is with me I will fear no evil.

What an encouragement to trust God today! Trust in him, and he shall direct your paths.