“Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.”—Proverbs 3:5 (GNT)
I chose Proverbs 3:5 as my memory verse as a daily reminder to myself that I need be trusting God with all of my heart and fully leaning on the Lord not my own understanding. I love the Good News Translation of it, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.” Ouch! How many times are my prayers telling God what I think needs to happen, rather than trust Him with the outcome?
When I am praying, I have to be careful to not try and tell God what to do and then end it with, “but Your will be done.” Because I battle with relinquishing control, many times, when I am worried about a situation, rather than align myself with God’s Word and trust His ways are better than mine, I can fall back into obsessive thought patterns which can tempt me to take things into my own hands.
Planning or thinking about something is not the same as praying about it. If I dwell on something all day, it will fill me with anxiety and doubt because I haven’t gone to God with it. The only one that can truly help me is who I need to go to in prayer. Until I release my cares and concerns to God, I will not have peace.
When I try to be in control it depletes me because I am not looking to God for direction. The result is always a lack of peace. As I lift up my doubts and fears to Him, I also need to be willing to hear what He has to say. Am I still enough to hear Him? Do I act on that “feeling” in my heart to do or not do something? Or do I try to “help” God to speed things along? If I do this, I am definitely outside of God’s will because I am not waiting on His timing.
Being the planner that I am, it is hard for me to not know what lies ahead. I like to have all of the details. My thinking isn’t going to change if I am not in tune to God and His Word. I need to be inviting God into every crevice of my day. When I trust in God with all of my heart, it leaves no room for worry.
God has clearly told me to trust Him in the wait. This is a time He is using to strengthen and grow me. You could be in a season where you aren’t sure what lies ahead. When there are unknowns, it is difficult to not give into fear or worry. These are the times when I lean in to God’s Word more than ever. Psalm 136 reminds us, Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Even if our faith waivers, His love for us never does. Thank God for His grace and mercy.
Jeremy Camp, Keep Me In The Moment, played as I was writing this devotion. What a sweet way for God to sing to me through these lyrics, “Singing oh Lord, keep me in the moment .Help me live with my eyes wide open. 'Cause I don't wanna miss what you have for me.” How many times do I miss what God has for me because rather than living in the moment, I am thinking about what might lie award of me?
Dear Lord,
Help me to be strong, steady and stable. Direct my steps. Calm my soul. Forgive me when I lean on my own understanding and try to solve things my way rather than rely on You. Give me strength when I am weak. Help me to trust You in the wait. I thank You for Your love and kindess that rests on me. It is in the name of Jesus that I pray these things. Amen.
August Memory Verse
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.— Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) We are living in a time when things don’t make sense. Now more than ever I need to be trusting God and seeking Him for direction in all I do.
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