Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6
When I was seven years old, I visited my grandma in Indiana. In the summer, she lived in a cottage on beautiful Lake James. Not far from her cottage was a Christian camp. A camp counselor there named Scott spent some time with me during my visit. He was extremely nice and I enjoyed my time with him.
credit: Evil Erin
Before I left Indiana, Scott gave me a Bible. In the front cover, he wrote: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Over the next twelve years that Bible collected dust on my bookshelf. Every once in a while I would read a few chapters, but it didn’t make much sense to me.
When I was nineteen, some college friends began to share with me about Jesus Christ. A few months later I became a Christian. I blew the dust off my old Bible and began to read. What once were just words on a page suddenly became truth to me. God opened my eyes as I began to read His Word and He showed me wondrous things I had never seen before.
One day I reread the inscription Scott made in the front cover. I realized that he had tried to warn me about what I had done for twelve years. All that time I was leaning on my own understanding instead of trusting in the Lord. I tried to figure out the Bible with my own intellect and got nowhere.
Once I became a Christian and acknowledged God in my life, He began to direct me and make His words clear to me. Sometimes I still try to lean on my own understanding when I read the Bible. But if I open the Bible with prayer that God will make it clear to me, I have a solid rock to lean on. If I acknowledge Him, He will direct me.
Allow God to reveal Himself to you through His Word.
Trust Him and He will light your path through the darkness.
What a great article! Thank you for sharing it :) As a Sandwich Generation caregiver, my life can go from peaceful and calm to heading for the hospital in a matter of minutes. Throughout the storms of life, this has always been one of my favorite verses – one I lean on as a “life verse.” I combine it with Romans 8:28 that God works all things for our good if we love Him, and 1 Thess. 5:16-18 – Rejoice ALWAYS, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances for this is His will for us. Those three together keep my eyes fixed on God, KNOWING He is in control no matter what is going on, and I can rest, safely surrendered to Him, even in the midst of trials. As you wrote, He is, indeed, our “solid rock to lean on!” :)
Thank you. Great perspective you have.
I think that we as Christian’s probably have a bigger problem trusting in our own understanding. I think the we probably spend more time following the God we make up that fits our desires and wishes than we do trying to relate to the Jesus and letting that relationship change us.
The Happy Rock´s last blog ..DD’s Monthly Expenses – August 2009 – House Painting Edition
Indeed.
I think this scripture can be applied to all areas of our lives and especially in personal finances. We can sometimes view personal finance as a black and white area. We try to control this area based on our own understanding and ways of overcoming challenges. However, by putting God first and “leaning not on our own understanding” God can make a way. God can provide. God can eliminate debt. God can do anything if invited into this area of our lives.
Jason @ One Money Design´s last blog ..Labor Day: Bible and Work
Excellent point. God can!
Jason,
Thanks for the poignant reminder, not only about trusting in the Lord, but about the seeds that counselor planted in your life by giving you the bible and making the inscription in it.
After I became a Christian in Viet Nam I remembered a bible my sister had given me before I left the states. I dug through my duffle bag and, sure enough, it was still there right on the bottom. I started devouring it immediately.
Come to think of it, my sister was certainly trusting in the Lord when she gave a bible to her agnostic and rebellious brother. In her own understanding, it would never have made sense.
Joe Plemon´s last blog ..High School Football
Way cool. I gave a Bible to my unbelieving brother when he joined the Army. He’s still not a believer, but it’s just my job to plant seeds. God causes the growth.