A Story on Proverbs 3:5-6

by Danette Reeves

Proverbs 3:5-6 states, “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 straight your paths.” We may quote this verse as often as John 3:16. It is essential to dissect these familiar verses, not just run through them, overlooking their wisdom. Only then can we truly begin to properly understand how to apply scripture to our daily lives.

It is imperative to understand the first word, “TRUST.” According to Webster’s Dictionary, trust is “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” We are given two commands in this verse: 1) trust in the LORD, and 2) do not lean on our own understanding. Leaning on our own understanding is in complete opposition to trusting the LORD. We cannot possibly understand why or how God does everything, but He tells us to trust Him with ALL of our hearts. Guess what ALL means. ALL means ALL. We are to not only trust Him when it makes sense to us but also trust Him when we cannot understand. Our understanding is skewed by our emotions, circumstances, past experiences, and belief systems. We can trust in the LORD—the God who never changes; the God who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. We can trust His character, ability, and strength. We are fickle; He is steadfast. We are limited in our vision; He sees everything clearly and thoroughly.

Once we settle the trust issue, He then tells us to acknowledge Him in all our ways. Again, we see the word ALL, not some. “Acknowledge” is to know Him, to recognize that God is the one who works in our lives with all wisdom, power, mercy, grace, love, and justice.

Practically, how do we acknowledge God? We study His Word, and we apply it to our lives. We pray. We follow Him as closely as possible, intentionally and expressly focused on Him. This intentionality is sometimes difficult because of distractions, peer pressure, stress, and conflicts.

We finally get to the promise: “He will make your paths straight.” I wish He had said He would make our paths easy, understandable, or even clearly marked. He said straight. When we trust Him and acknowledge Him, He will lead us straight to conforming to the image of Jesus. We will

look less like this world and more like Jesus. Romans 8:29: “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.” 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another…”

That’s the straight path God has for us: Conforming and transforming to the image of Jesus, thinking His thoughts, living His example, being changed from one glory to another.

About The Author Danette Reeves and her husband, Charlie, live in Cleveland, TN. They attend The Church at Grace Point. One of their joys is being Oma and Opa to four grandchildren. Her heart’s desire is to be a student and a teacher of the Word, and a consistent follower of Jesus.

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