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.
(rf. Prov. 3:5-6, NASB)
As we enter into another year with its possibilities and uncertainties, we desperately need a rock upon which to stand, a rope to which we can hold tightly, a wall upon which to lean. Thankfully, we have the Lord and His Word at all times to provide solid ground in the midst of a world and a culture that seems intent on being as dependable as shifting sand. The encouragement that we can gain from Him is far more beneficial and needful; may we heed His wisdom now and for the time to come.
He tells us to "trust Him with all (our) heart". Indeed, as this is in the imperative, He puts it in more of the command sense than as a suggestion. As we approach this new year, we must ask the question of ourselves, "Do I really trust the Lord fully?" Or am I making contingency plans upon which I am relying just in case the future doesn’t work out the way that I hope?
This leads us to the second part of Solomon’s admonition, "And do not lean on your own understanding." Those "contingency plans" fall squarely in the category of our own reasoning, rather than following after God’s directive for us. The Scriptures tell us explicitly that we are to "walk by faith, not by sight" (rf. II Corinthians 5:7). Faith seeks the Lord first, listens for His voice and then makes plans according to what he/she hears from Him. Sight makes plans on the basis of circumstances, then prays only when the circumstances "go south" in the hopes the Lord will redeem his/her plans for the better. Where is your heart as the new year begins?
Solomon would have us to look to the Lord for direction in every area of our lives, not just in those particularly "religious" ones. Solomon understood that God rules over all of the universe, thus there is no arena over which He is not in control. Therefore, when he states, "In all your ways acknowledge Him", Solomon is encouraging the reader to submit to this reality and let God’s sovereignty be one’s greatest ally. Better to bow the knee before the King of kings, asking for His direction, wisdom and conditions of service, guaranteeing that person of the King’s pleasure, than to strike out on one’s own, securing both failure in the enterprise as well as risking the displeasure of one’s Lord.
In conclusion, Solomon states as if in a simple formula, that if one accomplishes A, B, and C, then D will be the result. In other words, for the mathematically inclined among us, A+B+C=D. For the non-mathematical reader, Solomon is saying that if (A) one "trusts in the Lord", (B) "do(es) not lean on (his/her) own understanding", and does (C) "acknowledge Him" in everything, then the Lord will "make (one’s) path straight". Be sure not to misread what is being stated. It is not a promise by the Lord through Solomon to make one’s path easy. The reference to "straight" in Scripture often has connotations to salvation and righteousness as seen in its attachment to the prophecies of Messiah (rf. Matthew 3:3). Therefore, rather than being an easy path, the "straight" way may prove to make us more like Jesus in the long run as we trust in the Lord, relying on Him and His Word to guide us rightly, instead on seeking our own way and desires.
So, as we face the challenges ahead, standing on the precipice of this new year, which direction will we take? Will we accept the wisdom of Solomon, seeking out the Lord, waiting to hear from Him before we press onward? Or will we go with our best instincts and hope for the best? My prayer is that we will take the correct action on the basis of the input given from His Word. If so, we will be blessed in the doing as well as in whatever happens as a result.
