No, Not Your Understanding
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
We have been talking a lot about suffering because or for Christ. It comes in many ways and God is not shy about letting it come. Remember we have been appointed not only to believe in Him but to also suffer for him. Well, the suffering part has been my reality recently as I once again have had to face spiritual battle and attacks from the enemy in its effort to knock me down.
It is the "do not lean on your own understanding" part that really trips me up. I want to understand everything that is going on in my life - I do not want to leave any stone not turned. So when I get broadsided by the enemy, as has happened to me this week, I want to know why. I can hardly fault myself for this but it does get in the way.
There are so many things that are not understood by me about my walk. There are also many things that I know to be true - promises from God for me that should and do bring me comfort but when I do not understand why the storm is so fierce. Why? I ask. When I have been walking according to God's will - to the best of my understanding. I need to walk according to God's will as he gives it to me. I need God's understanding and when I recognize that, then I can acknowledge him. "Not my will but your will O Lord." You see, I also need to acknowledge that I have to face trials and tests and experience certain sufferings because it is the will of God that I do so and that he is with me and will never forsake me or desert me.
No, I cannot come up with a plan (path) that I present to the Father and say, "How about this idea, it is not want you seem to be suggesting but it might work, eh?" My plan may make great sense to me and I may understand it and there may be nothing essentially bad about it except that it is my own understanding that cooked it up. It is not up to God, my Father to acknowledge my plan (path). It is up to me to acknowledge His and he makes mine straight for me.
I use this verse from Proverbs 3 every day to remind myself that I just do not have the understanding that is necessary to find the right path. As I believe and trust in the Lord, the right path is made by God when I do not lean on my own understanding and acknowledge Him in all my ways.
We have been talking a lot about suffering because or for Christ. It comes in many ways and God is not shy about letting it come. Remember we have been appointed not only to believe in Him but to also suffer for him. Well, the suffering part has been my reality recently as I once again have had to face spiritual battle and attacks from the enemy in its effort to knock me down.
It is the "do not lean on your own understanding" part that really trips me up. I want to understand everything that is going on in my life - I do not want to leave any stone not turned. So when I get broadsided by the enemy, as has happened to me this week, I want to know why. I can hardly fault myself for this but it does get in the way.
There are so many things that are not understood by me about my walk. There are also many things that I know to be true - promises from God for me that should and do bring me comfort but when I do not understand why the storm is so fierce. Why? I ask. When I have been walking according to God's will - to the best of my understanding. I need to walk according to God's will as he gives it to me. I need God's understanding and when I recognize that, then I can acknowledge him. "Not my will but your will O Lord." You see, I also need to acknowledge that I have to face trials and tests and experience certain sufferings because it is the will of God that I do so and that he is with me and will never forsake me or desert me.
No, I cannot come up with a plan (path) that I present to the Father and say, "How about this idea, it is not want you seem to be suggesting but it might work, eh?" My plan may make great sense to me and I may understand it and there may be nothing essentially bad about it except that it is my own understanding that cooked it up. It is not up to God, my Father to acknowledge my plan (path). It is up to me to acknowledge His and he makes mine straight for me.
I use this verse from Proverbs 3 every day to remind myself that I just do not have the understanding that is necessary to find the right path. As I believe and trust in the Lord, the right path is made by God when I do not lean on my own understanding and acknowledge Him in all my ways.
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