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 Click To TweetHowever, 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
We only see part of the picture God is painting. If we truly trust Him, we have to let go of our pride, our programs, and our plans. Even the best-laid human plans cannot begin to approach the magnificent sagacity of God’s plan. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom.” 1 Corinthians 1:25 NIV
God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV
Our limited understanding can lead us astray.
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death.” Proverbs 16:25 NIV
When we choose to direct our lives according to what seems right to us, we often reap disaster.
When we choose to direct our lives according to what seems right to us, we often reap disaster. “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death.” Proverbs 16:25 NIV @BeckieLindsey_ #understanding #trust Click To Tweet
“In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” Judges 21:25 NIV
God’s standards never change.
Cultures may change their understanding of what is right and wrong, but God’s standards never change.
“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19 NIV
Each of us must decide whether to live our life according to personal preference or according to the unchanging Word of God. Let’s face it, often we will not understand how God is causing “all things to work together for good” (Romans 8:28). But as we spend time with God in His Word and prayer, we learn to trust Him more and more.
We will not understand how God is causing "all things to work together for good" (Romans 8:28). But as we spend time with God in His Word and prayer, we learn to trust Him more and more.@BeckieLindsey_ #understanding #trust Click To TweetIs there something going on in your life now where you have been leaning on your own understanding?
About the Author
Beckie Lindsey is the award-winning author of the YA series Beauties from Ashes, and Legacy: Living NOW for Future Generations a devotional study journal. She is a poet, blogger, and the editor of Southern California Christian Voice, a division of One Christian Voice,a national news syndicating agency. Beckie has a heart for God and people, encouraging spiritual growth through prayerful study and application of Scripture.She is a major coffeeholic and enjoys a good book with a cat on her lap. Beckie and her husband, Scott have three adult children, two adorable cats and live in California.
Visit Beckie’s website and blog. For Christian news in SoCal. Follow Beckie on social media: Twitter/Facebook/Instagram. Amazon Links for Her books: Secrets (Beauties from Ashes book 1); Uninvited (Beauties from Ashes book 2); Daybreak (Beauties from Ashes book 3); Legacy: Living NOW for Future Generation
*Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:
Legacy Linkup/Inspire Me Monday/Kingdom Bloggers/Literacy Musings/Tell His Story/Purposeful Faith/Abounding Grace/Welcome Heart/Recharge Wednesday/Porch Stories/Worth Beyond Rubies/Tune in Thursday/Sitting Among Friends/Heart Encouragement/Embracing the Unexpected/Fresh Market Friday/Faith On Fire/Dance With Jesus and Faith and Friends.
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Good reminder, since I often neglect to remember that my understanding is limited!
Humans are limited in so many ways, we forget that even if a bunch of accolates gather dust on our shelf or a lot of accomplishments follow our name, it is nothing compared to the knowledge of the God of the universe.
So very true. We cannot always understand what God is doing in our lives. We can, however, in faith, know that He is doing what is good and right for us as He prepares us to travel the path He’s set for us before we were even born. “In God We Trust” is meant to be much more than a national motto, it is supposed to be a model of our lives. Great post, great author, wonderful book! Thank all y’all for sharing ladies.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Beckie’s post. Yes, “In God We Trust” was placed on our currency by our forefathers in good faith our nation would stand on that truth. But we see our culture and government has turned away from God, much less trusting in Him as Lord to lead us in all things. I pray true disciples of Christ lead the way to show others that some of us still believe “In God We Trust” is the best way to live.
I have been studying and writing a book that focuses on the Book of Job and what it can teach us about suffering and becoming more consoling comforters. Job struggles throughout the whole narrative, desperately wanting to understand why he is facing adversity and why a good God allows good people to suffer. When God finally speaks to Job, he never gives Job the answers that he wanted. But in the end, that did not matter to Job because he knew God. And that was enough. Really agree with your comments around how we want answers and certainty and when we don’t get them we can become infuriated. And yet, if we keep our eyes on God, trust in his sovereignty, remember his faithfulness and steadfast love – that is more than enough certainty.
That’s good insight, Anne. Sounds like a wonderful book. That’s so true, even though Job didn’t understand and he never saw the big picture, he never knew Satan had asked God to test him, and he had NO idea, everything would be restored to him in the end. He couldn’t see the “bookends” to the story in other words. But because he knew God and knew His heart, still he trusted. What a model for us!
Thanks for sharing! I am going through a time of disappointment and uncertainty…this is timely for me.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Stephanie, as we talked about recently by email, so am I. I’m glad Beckie reminded us, ““God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19 NIV
Praying for you!
I am comforted knowing His way is always best. Trusting God and leaning on Him gives me peace.
Melissa, full trust in the Lord’s understanding brings the kind of peace we won’t get with our own ways and thoughts.
Yup, stepped on my toes. I do like to take over with my plan B but slowly I am learning. His ways are much better.
Yvonne, I often pray for the Lord’s good and perfect will, knowing His understanding and ways are best, but in the back of my mind, I have a plan B ready just in case He needs my helps…like He does or ever would.
Amen, Beckie, and thanks, Karen, for featuring one of my favorite bloggers and authors here today! Proverbs 3:5-6 was my go to verse for last year, my word being “lean” as in lean upon God, not my own ways.
Blessings to both of you!
Awesome, Martha, I’m sure you learned a lot about this in 2019. Lessons all of us need to learn and keep learning. I love how Beckie says,
“Each of us must decide whether to live our life according to personal preference or according to the unchanging Word of God. Let’s face it, often we will not understand how God is causing “all things to work together for good” (Romans 8:28). But as we spend time with God in His Word and prayer, we learn to trust Him more and more.”
This was a much-needed reminder for me. Going back to Scripture and seeking God’s wisdom first before talking to others or grasping at the wisdom of the world is a must. We might not understand God’s wisdom, but I am so thankful we can trust Him!
Emily, glad this encouraged you. I think we forget faith is “not” seeing what God sees and knows. I like how Beckie put this: “God’s standards never change.Cultures may change their understanding of what is right and wrong, but God’s standards never change.”
At times this can be so difficult for me. Especially when I know I am praying for a Godly request (someone’s salvation), and it just doesn’t come, I really wrestle with what God is doing. I try to remind myself of Christ on the cross. God has already demonstrated His faithfulness and goodness. Let me rest in the everlasting arms of God.
Yes, me too, Melissa. Yet, when I remember God sees the big picture and knows all things, I can more easily trust Him. Like the fact that I prayed for my atheist father for 16 years before He believed in God and accepted Christ.
How much we want to be able to understand before we obey or get in line with God’s plans. But, seldom do we see the whole picture, and usually we don’t understand, yet we’re called upon to obey nevertheless. The process of learning to obey from our place of cluelessness is where growth begins. Will we trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding? If we’re acknowledging him, recognizing his actions and words and character when we see it, then we’ll walk in his ways, and our paths will be straight. This is a promise. This is the challenge of obedience.
Melinda, I like your point that we are called to obey even without understanding. It makes us think of children, even if they don’t understand the why, if we remind them it’s because we love them and want what’s best for them, and have their best interest in mind. If we could see that same perspective with the Lord toward us. I guess there’s been times I obeyed the Lord but whent kicking and screaming. Sometimes…most of the time…we open first, then the rest falls into place not vice versa.
It is easy to understand the concept but difficult to trust its truth. “Even the best-laid human plans cannot begin to approach the magnificent sagacity of God’s plan.” Too often I think my plans are so spot on and God’s ahh, alright. I wouldn’t dare admit it to others or myself but my actions speak volumes. Lord help me trust you to plan it for me.
Great point, I think we all have done this and must come to a point of humility before the Lord and turn our plans over to Him completely and ask Him to help us to do it. Because it’s not easy.
I think for the most part I’ve been leaning on my own understanding in writing my first book. Which is hilarious, because I have no idea what I’m doing! Last week the Lord confirmed to me something someone else told me – “Start over”! What???? Well, no more leaning on my understanding because I certainly do not understand that. (My book was basically done, just adding a little more content) Anyway, as frustrated as I was at first, I know it will be so much better. It is not for me. It is for all of those who need to hear the message. It is God’s message, so I’ll lean into His wisdom and get this thing done!
Barb, glad to hear you’re working on a book. I learned some writer’s prayers from a literary agent once in his article.
Ask God to partner with you, make you self-aware, give you wisdom, focus, inspiration, protection (from the enemy), to hear God clearly, respond to God fully, and write better than you’re capable of writing. (Summarized by Bob Hostetler)
Your friend Beckie is wise! I have to remind myself to trust the Lord. I tend to be a know-it-all, always thinking I have the best answer. Learning humility is something I am working on this year. Trusting God is better for the soul and causes far less anxiety.
So true, Laurie, I agree sometimes my pride gets in the way of thinking I’m just going to have to move with my plan instead of waiting and trusting.
Great points! I am especially prone to being led astray by my own understanding… or even the understanding of someone else who sounds convincing. Thank God we have his Word to turn to and His Spirit to help us understand!
That’s true, Christian, it can be our own understanding or others which is also less than what we need from God. I’ve always loved this verse: “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21
Ouch! Great reminder that relying on my own understanding shows lack of trust in God.
Yes, Candice, like Beckie so powerfully reminds us, “When we choose to direct our lives according to what seems right to us, we often reap disaster.”
I’ve been thinking about this so much lately… I always get in trouble when I lean on my own (LIMITED, human, imperfect) understanding. Even when I have the best intentions, things go awry. I’ve learned that the best course is depending on God and following His lead only. If I align myself with His plan, His glory can shine ever brighter—and everything is smoother, too.
Yes, I relate to your comment, Jessica. Especially the limited, human, imperfect way we understand the world. We can only think and understand in natural ways, but God operated in the super-natural realm.
I constantly have to remind myself to trust the Lord, no matter the circumstances! Thank you for this reminder!
So many times I’ve thought I had the answer and could clearly see the way forward only to fall flat on my face. God’s ways are so much better–and it takes practice to seek him and not go our own way!
Karen and Beckie, this verse is one I come back to again and again. It’s so true. We either trust in the Lord, or we trust in ourselves. It seems like our Father allows us into situations where we must choose who we’ll trust. When we remember He is always more trustworthy, and He sees the big picture, we’ll walk through hard situations with more peace.
Hi Karen, I have just started blogging again having gone on a bit of a “social media wobbly” for the past year. So, I have been reconnecting everywhere and found you over on twitter a few days ago, so it was liking seeing an old friend when I found you on the Worth beyond Rubies link-up!
Great post! Our understanding is definitely limited but despite that I think we sometimes think we know “enough”. Enough to make decisions we should be making with the Lord instead of in our own strength, and our own understanding. Certainly a post that makes me think!!!
God bless
Tracy
Yes. Yes. Yes. I can admit that many times I’ll get caught up in trying to analyze a situation to see if I can figure out “the plan” but then I’m always reminded that it’s “His Plan” and not my own and that I just need to submit to Him and let Him lead wherever He wants me. I just went through a recent situation that had me trying to “fix” it by coming up with a solution and I’m so grateful for God’s grace leading me back to letting Him lead me to what was best!