This morning, as I was sharing my heart with the Lord, confessing a few things to Him… I found myself beginning to feel a little frustrated –with myself.
But the Lord quickly reminded me that He shows and reveals to us where we’ve gone wrong, so that we can learn, so we can continue moving forward.
He wants nothing to hold us back, He wants nothing to hinder our relationships with others and He wants nothing to hinder our relationship with Him. He wants nothing to be in the way of the closeness He wants with His children.
Suddenly I heard…
“Lean not on your own understanding…”
Oh how this was the “biblical antidote” I needed to my issue…
I’ve heard that phrase many times before, and so I looked it up to see what verse it comes from and dug into it a little more…
“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
Here’s The Passion Translation version…
Wisdom’s Guidance
“Trust in the Lord completely,
and do not rely on your own opinions.
With all your heart rely on him to guide you,
and he will lead you in every decision you make.
Become intimate with him in whatever you do,
and he will lead you wherever you go.”
The Lord has been teaching me a lot about my own heart, and how I can’t necessarily just trust my own heart, my own opinions, my own understanding…. I can’t depend on my own heart without first submitting my heart to Him, without first asking Him to purify my heart, without first submitting my initial opinions, desires, and understandings to Him.
I have to be ready to be “wrong” and be okay with being wrong before the Lord. As a human, that’s just going to happen sometimes.
That can be surprisingly hard… because sometimes I get so set in my ways, in my own understanding. When I think I’ve gotten everything all figured out, I need to be just as ready to be “wrong.”
But in this season and in the past one, I’ve really had to get used to being “wrong” before the Lord. I’ve gotten used to being able to see the error of my ways, and the Lord is helping me to learn to be thankful when He allows me to see my error.
Because I know that He shows me these things for my good, and perhaps the good of others, and who knows what else my opinions and understandings and perceptions could affect…. all of those things must be submitted and purified unto the Lord, or else they could be extremely dangerous to myself, or to others.
Oh God, help me to be quick to lay down my own understanding! God help me to be quick to be able to see through my stubborn ways. God help me to be quick to submit my opinions and ways unto You.
The Lord also highlighted the Lord’s Prayer this morning…
“… Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”
When I don’t know what or how to pray, it’s all covered in that prayer. What a simple and profoundly powerful example Jesus has given us in that prayer.
Thank You, Lord. Not my will, but Your will be done. Not my understanding, not what I think I’ve got “figured out” –but Yours, God.
-Heather ?