Trust in The Lord

[Pr 3:5-6; Jer 17:7-8]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) –Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; [6] In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Trusting in the Lord with all our heart is the opposite of doubting God and His Word. Such trust is fundamental to our relationship with God and is based on the fact that He is trustworthy. As God’s children we can be sure our heavenly Father loves us and will faithfully care for us (see Mt 10:31), guide us rightly, give us grace, and keep His promises. In the most difficult times of our lives, we can commit our way to the Lord (cf. Ps 37:5) and trust Him to work things out. He has a plan for us.

Our own understanding is limited, fallible, and subject to error (Eph 4:18). We must therefore be enlightened by God’s Word and led by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-16). Rather than relying on our own judgment, we must pray for God’s wisdom and direction for all our intentions in life.

In all our ways acknowledge Him. In all our plans, decisions, and activities, we should acknowledge God as Lord and His will as our utmost desire. Every day we must live in a close, trusting relationship with God, always looking to Him for direction “by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” (see Phil 4:6).

He shall direct our paths. When we acknowledge Him, God promises to direct our paths. He will lead us to His goal for our lives, remove obstacles, and enable us to make the right choices (see Pr 11:5; Isa 45:13).

Trusting in the Lord begins by believing Jesus for salvation. When we trust in Him, we acknowledge that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). We then get to know God more as we spend time in prayer and Bible study. The more we know God, the more we will love Him. The more we love Him, the more we will trust in Him alone – with all our hearts – for wisdom, for decisions, for everything.

Jeremiah describes the benefits that come to the person who trusts the Lord with all his heart:

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJV) –[7] “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. [8] For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Those who trust in the Lord have hope, and need not fear difficulty or calamity. They know who is in control of their lives, and that He is always good and true. I am thankful for Proverbs 3:5-6, it is wise instruction and ends in a promise. It is an awesome thing to trust in God with all your heart and to have Him direct your paths!

My Confession:

I can reach my full potential when I trust in the Lord.

It is good to use my head, but when I depend on my own understanding, I cannot acknowledge God in all that I do. Life is very limited and carnal when I am not standing on the promises of God. He is trustworthy!

The more I love Him, the more I trust in Him alone – with all my heart – for wisdom, for decisions, for everything.

I am like a tree planted by the waters – yielding fruit.

I commit my walk of life to the Lord, I trust in the Lord and His will for me is being accomplished. He directs my paths!

God bless you my friend,

— Dwight Hammond