Good Advice
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Prov. 3:5).
Our immediate and natural instinct is to trust what we can see, touch, and feel. We rely on our ability to figure out solutions to any problem. When the chips are down, we “lean” on our ability to analyze situations and figure out what to do next.
In fact, many of us become obsessed with figuring out what to do when times are tough—also known as “worry.” We can’t concentrate on the job in front of us because we’re still thinking about the problem, situation, or comment that absorbs our minds. It’s hard to sleep because we go over our fears and plans again and again. We create scenarios and weigh options. We try to imagine others’ responses, and our fears compound. Leaning on our own understanding may not sound like such a bad thing (after all, God gave us our minds), but hours, days and weeks of endless analysis, conclusion, and self-doubt can dominate our lives.
Our instinct, though, is flawed and limited. There’s another source of wisdom that is far superior to our ability to figure things out. We are connected with the God of the universe, the One who knows all, sees all, and is exceedingly, abundantly able to accomplish anything He desires. The more we grasp this fundamental fact, the more we will learn to overcome our instincts and trust in an unseen but all-seeing God.
“Trust in the Lord,” is not just a nice little phrase we use. It says everything about our relationship with Him. It says, “in view of all my options, and in view of my own inadequacies, I am willing to lay it all on the line and put my trust in Him.” “Trust in the Lord” brings quietness to troubled hearts.
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