Proverbs 3:5-6
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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 will make your paths straight
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Part of total trust is not leaning on your understanding. To trust in the Lord with all your heart is to not trust in your own understanding. For Christians, wisdom is not just a lifeless set of principles or memorizing a few insightful proverbs. At the heart of wisdom is a relationship with the Lord.
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“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). Note we’re exhorted to trust in God not only with our minds, but also with our hearts.
Proverbs 28:14 states it another way: “Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.” Like King David, we’re to cultivate “a heart after God.” The heart, according to the Bible, also is the seat of our motivations. Proverbs 17:3 declares, “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart,” and Proverbs 21:2 adds, “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Yet another verse from the same book, Proverbs 4:23, offers this warning: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” We might paraphrase this to say, “Be careful about where we place our deepest affections, because those will impact the entirety of our lives.” -Bob Tamasy |
A lot of people go on dating sites looking to find someone instead of acknowledging God first and letting Him direct them what to do. After a series of dates, they try to convince themselves that they have found the right person, knowing all the time they deserve better. In such a time as this, they have to realize that God has someone better for them. They will be everything they’re looking for and everything they need in their lives. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:6) KJV -Sherry Ivy; New Providence MB Church
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Matthew 7:9-11:
Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Matthew 6:31-34:
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 
“He shall direct your paths.” It is rewarding to trust in the Lord and not ourselves. There is comfort not knowing the way ahead but knowing the one who does which makes the words of the song “The Unseen Hand” very personal. He will remove the obstacles from our pathway and bring us to His appointed goal. If we acknowledge Him, give Him the proper recognition of praise and attention to His word, then He will reward us according to His word guiding and directing us through life and this difficult time. -Hobbie McCreary; Grace Baptist Church
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When the Bible tells us in this verse not to lean on our own understanding, it is not encouraging us to be irrational. The Bible puts up no wall of separation between our intellect and faith. In fact, the book of Proverbs speaks very highly of understanding:
What we’re told not to lean on is our “own understanding,” meaning conclusions based primarily on our own perceptions. Because our own understanding simply will not bear the full weight of reality. It was never intended to. -Desiring God |
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Our propensity to trust in our own wisdom is often the reason we crash and burn. Let's acknowledge our need of God's wisdom and leadership today. He will lead us into our purpose. — Ken & Betty Eberly, Behold Your God Ministries
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We may never understand all the “whys” of unanswered prayers or prayers that are not answered as we desire, especially those that seem right and good as far as we can see. But God’s Word calls us to “walk by faith (in God) and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). We are instructed to "Trust in the Lord in all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make our path straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6). -Lisa Hannan
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In Acts 23:1 the apostle Paul states that he had always “lived in all good conscience before God”. This is the same man who had severely persecuted the Lord’s church. Acts 8:3 tells us, “He made havoc of the church, entering every house and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.” Paul admitted, “I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.” (Acts 22: 4) When confronted by Christ, Paul was asked the question, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 26:14) How could Paul have done these terrible things with a good conscience toward God? It is a fact that his conscience was clear. Paul thought he was doing the right things, but he was wrong because he was acting on information that was not true. The conscience must be educated with truth, before it can function properly. -Shane Hoover
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For the better part of three weeks, ahead of another 14- or 15-hour day sitting inside Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, Sharon Doornink would wake up early at her Yakima home and pack herself a light lunch – half a peanut butter sandwich and an apple most days.
That was enough to sustain her through the darkest days of her husband’s prolonged fight with COVID-19. That, and prayer. “Lots and lots of prayer,” Sharon said. There was one scripture she recited from memory to her husband, Dr. Dan Doornink, the Washington State University Hall of Fame running back and a stalwart Seahawks player in the 1980s, as he lay unconscious in intensive care. The verse, from Proverbs 3 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart …”), had helped bring the couple together shortly after they met in biology class at Wapato (Washington) High School. Sharon was 14; Dan was 15. He gifted her a Bible and scribbled that verse on the inside cover. They’ve been practically inseparable in the 50 years since. -Adam Jude |
Thankfully, God has not made us robots who are meant to blindly trust Him. He wants a relationship with us in which we are trusting Him in every way. Because of that, God is gracious and gives us time to discover how He works in various circumstances. As time passes, we learn more about Him through His Word, our own experiences, and the stories of others. Time eventually proves to us that God is worthy of our trust!
He is completely responsive to who we are as people. Jesus, living as He did, is completely able to relate to the things we are going through (Hebrews 4:15). God is not some disconnected dictator who is only concerned with large-scale matters. Instead, He is very dialed into our needs and even knows what we need before we ask it (Matthew 6:8). Many things are obviously unique about God, but I believe what sets Him apart from everyone and everything is that He has no creator. He is the Creator! Everything else has come from Him even life itself. Because I believe this is truly unique about God, I am able to trust Him regardless of what I’m facing, needing, worrying about, etc knowing nothing is too much for Him to handle because He is before ALL things! Jesus came seeking to serve, not be served. The humbleness and selflessness of Jesus was on full display as He died for us on the cross even though He knew many He would die for would eventually reject Him. God didn’t not have to serve us, but He chose to do so because it would teach us about His heart for us. -The Grove Church
He is completely responsive to who we are as people. Jesus, living as He did, is completely able to relate to the things we are going through (Hebrews 4:15). God is not some disconnected dictator who is only concerned with large-scale matters. Instead, He is very dialed into our needs and even knows what we need before we ask it (Matthew 6:8). Many things are obviously unique about God, but I believe what sets Him apart from everyone and everything is that He has no creator. He is the Creator! Everything else has come from Him even life itself. Because I believe this is truly unique about God, I am able to trust Him regardless of what I’m facing, needing, worrying about, etc knowing nothing is too much for Him to handle because He is before ALL things! Jesus came seeking to serve, not be served. The humbleness and selflessness of Jesus was on full display as He died for us on the cross even though He knew many He would die for would eventually reject Him. God didn’t not have to serve us, but He chose to do so because it would teach us about His heart for us. -The Grove Church
There have been many times along the way that my paths seemed more crooked than straight, but in retrospect I can see God knew exactly what He was doing, every step along the way. I love the promise He gave to the ancient Israelites – one we can also claim as believers today:
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile’” (Jeremiah 29:11-13). --Robert J Tamasy |
Moses was an example of one who feared the Lord and entrusted his life to the Lord. When he was in the presence of the Lord (Exodus 3) he hid his face. He was overwhelmed by the majesty of the Lord. The fear of the Lord gave him courage to confront Pharaoh and all Egypt; one man before the most powerful man and country.
We are told in Hebrews 11 that Moses valued the reproach of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. Moses had a fear of the Lord, he loved and trusted the Lord, and consequently (and this is always the case) he willingly offered up his life to the Lord. -Rev Chris Shelton |
How often have we all decided abruptly to do something that later cost us more than it was worth? Instead of trusting God and getting there on a straight route with a brief interruption, I was going in a circle and wasting time.
The Israelites are a prime example of how we can waste time when we allow what we see to stop us from getting to our promised lands. Instead of trusting God, we can spend so much time wondering and wandering when we chose to take our lives into our own hands. The Israelites called out to God for help and God heard them. “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt,” (Exodus 3:7). -Dr Froswa Booker-Drew
The Israelites are a prime example of how we can waste time when we allow what we see to stop us from getting to our promised lands. Instead of trusting God, we can spend so much time wondering and wandering when we chose to take our lives into our own hands. The Israelites called out to God for help and God heard them. “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt,” (Exodus 3:7). -Dr Froswa Booker-Drew
1. His ways are perfect. Our ways are flawed.
God’s ways – “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30).
Man’s ways – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).
2. His heart is pure and righteous. Our heart can be deceptive.
God’s heart – “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does” (Psalm 145:17).
Man’s heart – “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
3. His ways do not change. Our hearts can change.
“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19).
4. He sees from an eternal perspective. We see from day to day.
God’s vision – “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Psalm 90:2).
“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16).
Man’s vision – “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
5. We make plans, but they only come to pass if God wills it.
“We may make our plans, but God has the last word” (Proverbs 16:1, GNT).
“A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them” (Proverbs 16:9, AMP). -Bible Study Tools
God’s ways – “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30).
Man’s ways – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).
2. His heart is pure and righteous. Our heart can be deceptive.
God’s heart – “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does” (Psalm 145:17).
Man’s heart – “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
3. His ways do not change. Our hearts can change.
“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19).
4. He sees from an eternal perspective. We see from day to day.
God’s vision – “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Psalm 90:2).
“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16).
Man’s vision – “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
5. We make plans, but they only come to pass if God wills it.
“We may make our plans, but God has the last word” (Proverbs 16:1, GNT).
“A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them” (Proverbs 16:9, AMP). -Bible Study Tools
