Trust in the Lord or Lean on Our Own Understanding

“Our limited understanding can lead us astray.”

I don’t know about you, but that quote from my friend Beckie steps on my toes just a little…maybe a lot. Do you ever wonder what God’s doing? If He seems silent to your prayers? Or, what He’s up to in your life? And if He really has a handle on things or do you need to step in with plan B? Sadly, I have done each of those at some point.

This week, I’m sharing a guest post by an author I met at a writers conference and we soon became fast friends.

And I love her books that you’ll learn more about in her bio.

By Beckie Lindsey

“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

This passage in Proverbs tells us if we trust in the Lord, we cannot also depend upon our own ability to understand everything God is doing.

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us if we trust in the Lord, we cannot also depend upon our own ability to understand everything God is doing. @BeckieLindsey_ #understanding #trust Share on X

However, most of us have a desperate desire to understand. And yet in so many areas, we must acknowledge we cannot always understand. It’s often frustrating and sometimes downright infuriating. 

The tension that we feel from our limited understanding is eased by a further look into Scripture. Here are a few reasons we are not to lean on our own understanding but rest in God’s:

We don’t have a clear picture, but God does. 

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV

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A Peek Into My Journal for 25 Life-giving Thoughts

To journal is therapy for me…for my soul. I’ve always loved to journal, and during this season I’m currently walking through, I daily journal pages and pages.

Some thoughts the Lord reminded me He gave me in the past, but are helpful now. While others are fresh inspiration from the Lord.

So I’m letting you peek into my personal journal for 25 thoughts I hope encourage you and bring life to your soul.

Wholeness And Forgiveness

(1.) When life’s disappointments attempt to become my unwelcome friend, I remember Jesus calls me friend. Because He’s my best friend (John 15:5).

(2.) If people add injury to my pain, they are broken people in need of wholeness from Christ. Broke people break people. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalm 147:3 ESV.

If people add injury to my pain, they are broken people in need of wholeness from Christ. Broke people break people. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalm 147:3. #journal Share on X

(3.) I must cling to the only sure hope in the darkness. Jesus. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” John 1:5 ESV.

(4.) Lord, place the cross and the blood of Jesus between me and the enemy, and between me and difficult people and circumstances. There’s nothing Your redemptive blood doesn’t cover. And there’s nothing it can’t redeem. 

(5.) When I can’t forgive others or if we can’t forgive ourselves, we are limiting God. We are saying He’s not able to give us supernatural ability to forgive. We are putting ourselves as a god above the God who is so loving, so merciful, and so kind that every time we repent, He gladly forgives. 

New Mercies And Promises

(6.) I’m so thankful for the power of prayer: that mountains still move, seas still part, mana still rains from heaven, and because God can raise the dead, ashes turn to beauty again. 

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How to Raise a Hope-filled Hallelujah

Lord, I raise a hope-filled Hallelujah!

Honestly, I often find it difficult to raise any kind of Hallelujah! Especially when hope seems to have skipped town.

But there’s something you and I must know. We are never far from hope. And we are never far from a hope-filled Hallelujah.

Because who doesn’t need hope? Multiple times in life, I felt all hope was lost. 

(1.) Like my difficult childhood leading to issues in my adulthood.

(2.) When the good job and steady income suddenly ended.

(3.) When our second baby died in utero, leaving me with an empty womb and heart.

(4.) During my father’s month-long hospital stay and his passing away five days before Christmas.

Now, my family is currently walking through a dark valley where it feels like hope hides in the darkness.

Hope-less or Hope-filled

Yet, the false forms of hope the world always offered me in the past, faded and fizzled. They made me hope-less instead of hope-filled. 

So, I went on a search to find the kind of hope still standing when all else falls away. It needed a foundation in something other than this world—true substance and measure.

Although hope seems intangible in how it’s not seen or touched, it is something we can know exists and then grab ahold of. Therefore, the perfect place to search is God’s Word. 

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A Promise: God Crowns the Year With Goodness

Crowns.

I imagine the three kings of Orient in a Christmas play. My mind’s eye pictures inauguration ceremonies of royal monarchs.

Perhaps we envision crowning moments of beauty pageants. Or, iconic Disney princesses displayed in crowns that dazzle.

I even think of paper crowns from Burger King. And plastic versions adorned with jewels…the finishing touch to a little girl’s costume.

God’s Promise of Goodness

But tucked inside God’s Word we find a unique meaning for crown. The action verb used to describe a calendar year.

“You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance” (Psalm 65:11 NKJV).

'You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.' Psalm 65:11 NKJV #NewYear2020 #goodness #crown Share on X

Sparks from New Year’s fireworks spark our intentions to make this year, the new year, better than ever. Still, what if we went into 2020 trusting in God’s promise of goodness?

Then, regardless of plans or goals or dreams, our ultimate hope lies in God’s goodness. Because we don’t always know what tomorrow holds, even after we’ve planned. None of us knew what last year would bring. So there’s not a sure-fire way to know what will transpire this year.

The Real Crowned King

But we can know this: God doesn’t change. He’s the real crowned King, the only promise-keeper who always keeps His promises.

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What If I Let God Be God This year?

We just embarked on a brand new year. Besides parties, fireworks, and count downs to midnight, the term “brand-new” conjures up all kinds of hopes and dreams.

Although a new year brings excitement about what lies ahead. It may also bring uneasiness about what’s expected of us. Or, what we expect of ourselves.

For instance, I wonder, Do people presume I will do great things? 

Likewise, do you ever sense this kind of unrealistic pressure?

Then we make grandiose resolutions and plans and dream bigger and bigger with each passing year trying to top the previous one. 

But if you have followed this blog for a while, you know I never make resolutions. There’s too much burden in making, keeping, measuring, and probable failing at my resolve to change or better myself or an area of my life.

Yet, I like to reflect on the preceding year. Reflection helps me process areas of my life, and consider how to pursue my passions with a passion in the upcoming twelve months.

Still, I realized any new year is not all about me. Or even if I do great things. Instead, it requires roots in something or someone greater than me. And so during my contemplation, a thought would not let go of me: 

What if I let God be God this year? 

What will the new year hold if I simply let God do His job as God? And what if I let the Almighty reign over my decisions, circumstances, dreams, and life? 

Most importantly, isn’t He the only One who perfectly fills the role as God? No other person or god meets the requirements like our heavenly Father. He’s the most qualified and the most trustworthy. 

Therefore, I’m noting 3 ways we let God be G.O.D. this year.

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