A Look at a Verse: 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.
–Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
Now what does this mean? This is one of my favorite passages. I think of it when I am having a hard time with something or worrying about my future. Although these verses are short, they are saying much more. In one passage it tells us that our understanding is earthly and that God always has a plan.
I think the verse also says what will happen if we do not lean on our own earthly understandings. It says that God will direct our paths. It is so easy to get caught up in our own understanding. The key, I think, is letting go of what we know and putting full faith in who we are in Jesus Christ. I read it as God saying, “Don’t get caught up and over-think the situation that I have put you in because I have a plan for you, and it is always perfect. However, our minds may not, at the time, see a perfect plan. I am in my early twenties, so I have been worried about finding a decent job. I am also worried about getting my Associates Degree at a community college done. Needless to say, I have had this verse cross my mind more than a few times.
I have had trouble lately, and also in the past, about comparing myself to others. Recently, my problem has been comparing myself to my friends who are already graduating college. I also have been comparing where I attend college, to where my friends attended. I go to a community college, so I will think: Gosh, look at her going to a prestigious university, or, Dang! Is that guy going there!? That will never happen for me. It is a thought that I have to speak back to, with truth. This is where the verse comes into play! Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. So, here is a clear message of total faith, the message that God has the situation handled! He is in control and knows what is best for our lives. Proverbs 3:6 confirms that by acknowledging God in all situations, good or bad, in total faith, He will deliver. Well, let me rephrase that: What seems bad is for our good because everything comes from the Lord.
James 1:2-4 is a good passage to back up the truth that everything from the Lord is good: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 and Proverbs 3:5-6 go hand-in-hand. The passage in Proverbs may not say “faith” directly, like the verse in James does, but nonetheless, faith is what makes Proverbs 3:5-6 work in our lives–the faith that who we are is a vessel of Jesus Christ. Trusting in the Lord with all your heart is faith. Continuing in faith is acknowledging Him in all things.
