Who Knows The Best?

Good morning.

The Proverbs of Solomon is loaded with wisdom for everyday application. It really is a handbook to realistic Christian living. One of the significant passages we find in Proverbs 3:5-8: “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. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”

This is easier said than done for we have received our own minds and we proudly consider ourselves capable of figuring things out for ourselves. The more educated we are and the more power we have in terms of money and position, the more we think we can do it ourselves. This is why Jesus said that we need to become like little children to inherit the Kingdom of heaven. “He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,’” (Matthew 18:2-4). Little children have nothing to fall back on and are completely dependent on adults.

In Proverbs 3 the Lord said we must trust in Him, acknowledge Him and fear Him, and as a result we will be healthy. To be self-sufficient is very demanding and takes its toll from the body. Stress, anxiety and worry cause diseases such as heart disease and cancers.

Trusting in the Lord with all our heart means with all our heart, trusting that He knows what He is doing with our lives in spite of circumstances that may appear to prove the contrary. This is where the difficulty comes in. We want to give the Lord His share of control of our lives and we want to keep our share and just run to the Lord when we consider it necessary. Trusting the Lord requires a relationship with the Lord, for He is keen to explain to us why He has put us through a test and what He wanted us to learn from it, providing we are prepared to listen. Understanding what He tries to accomplish in our lives, makes it easier for us to trust in Him the next time.

I, for instance, went through a hard time of persecution a while ago in an organisation that I’m involved with. I managed to allow the Lord to fight the fight for me and automatically forgave the people by His grace, but it did hurt. Afterwards I clearly heard the Lord telling me in my spirit that I have passed the test by allowing Him to fight for me and that I will have peace from then on. Things have been superb so far and I am tuned into the Holy Spirit’s voice to guide me in His ways.

If we lean on our own understanding, we will act from a base of knowledge that we have gathered through learning and listening to other people, which is why the Lord moves so much more powerfully through those who are simple at heart and why He made the statement of us being like children.

When the Lord said we need to acknowledge Him is all our ways He actually meant all. It sounds like hard work, for we need to ask the Lord’s advice in everything we do, which is why Paul advised the Thessalonian church to pray continually or without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). I stay in prayer all day long and check with the Lord in many things whether He thinks it is okay. When I run into a difficult situation or decision I ask His advice and without fail I get it immediately when the solution is straightforward. When my attitude or the attitudes of people with whom I interact need to change or they need a change of mind, it usually works to bring it to the Lord and it is not long before I see the results.

Lord, you will not expect or promise something which you will not fulfil. I trust you.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.