Devotional

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” —Proverbs 3:5

You may already know this verse—short, sweet, and incredibly powerful—by heart. It is one of the most often quoted verses in the Bible. Here’s what it boils down to: It’s all about trust.

Every relationship depends on trust. Friendship, marriage, mentor/mentee, employer/employee—go down the list…the only way these ties work is with trust.

This is especially true where our relationship with the Lord is concerned. With the Lord, we’re trusting in an eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-present deity. He not only created us but also sustains us. He has made covenant promises to us, and even bids us to call out to, and come to, Him.

Notice the contrast in this verse: trust in Him and lean not on your own understanding.

God created us with senses to perceive what’s going on around us, intellect to process those perceptions, and volition to act. But the lesson in this little verse suggests there are times when our perception of things and our ability to process will be incomplete or insufficient.

Do we trust that He is all-seeing and all-understanding? Do we trust that He has our very best interests at heart?

There are times when our own understanding brings us to a dead-end. The Israelites, for instance, found themselves trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea. They saw no way out.

Generations later, this testimony was written by the psalmist: “Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen” (Psalm 77:19). 

The psalmist declared, “Your path,” Lord. Those times when we get to the end of our steps—better still, before we get to the end of our steps—we do well to realize His path is sure and to trust in the Lord with all our heart.

My prayer for this week:

Dear Lord, I confess I often lean on my own understanding, neglecting to trust in you first. In all of my life’s paths, personal and professional, spiritual, emotional, and relational, please help me look to you first and throughout. In all my ways, may I live my life on your path.