Trusting In God

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

 

I have mixed feelings as I begin this first entry of my first ever blog!  Feelings of trepidation (love that word!) as I know so little about technology, (I only opened a facebook account less than a year ago with the help of Jason, my husband, and Josh, my son)  and also feelings of excitement because this blog encompasses two of my loves – writing and sharing truths that God has taught me.

I met with the Senior Minister at my church for a chat as I have just entered a new season.  He brought up the suggestion that I  might like to write a blog and from the moment he mentioned it, I was gripped by the idea.

I have always loved writing, as a child I kept a diary and would write many stories, and now I keep a journal, so it seems a natural progression from these.  As I said, I don’t know much about technology, so before committing myself to blogging I spent time thinking and praying about it, and researching into it...and here I am!

I recently had a huge decision to make as I believed God was telling me to step down from the church leadership team.  I spent a long time asking God to confirm that I had heard him correctly.  When I was sure, then I had to make the choice as to whether to be obedient to what he was asking of me.

He kept bringing to my attention the verses from Proverbs 3:5&6 (NIV) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

I may not have fully understand what God was telling me, but I knew he was asking me to trust him.  These verses have been important to me ever since my Grandad and Nan wrote them in the bible they gave me when I was baptised at the age of 11 years.

Those verses tell us that we are to do 3 things:

1.      Trust in God with all our heart – it’s inevitable that other people will let us down, but God will never fail us, we can trust him because he loves us and wants the best for us.

2.      Don’t lean on our own understanding – when I have a decision to make I am very quick to rely on myself and what I think, the problem is my thinking doesn’t always line up with God’s thinking.  My understanding is limited and I can’t see into the future.  God knows the end from our beginning.  Rather than rely on our own understanding we need to rely on God and his word.

3.      Submit to God – that’s hard, I like to be in control, or like to think I’m in control.  But instead, I’m to hand over the control of my life to God.  When we understand just how much God loves us, how much he has done for us and like I’ve already said, that he wants the best for us, then we find it easier to submit to him.

If we do those 3 things, then we have a promise from God – that he will make our paths straight, or as the NLT puts it “he will show you which path to take.”

I find so much comfort in that promise.  Firstly, God always keeps his promises, the truth in the Bible proves that, and secondly, there is comfort and joy in knowing that God has a path already planned out for me if I choose to follow him.

He has a plan and a purpose for each of our lives.  Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

I’m excited to put my hand into God’s hand and have him lead me in the purpose he has designed me for, and I look forward as his plan for my life continues to unfold.  I know it will be daunting at times, but I also know, that he is with me every step of the way.

 

Will you also choose to trust God for your today and tomorrows?  Will you choose to lean on him and submit to him?  If you will do that he promises to show you the path to take.

Vicki