Living Out Proverbs 3:5-6: Trusting God in Every Step

Proverbs 3:5-6

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.

My kids had to memorize these verses as children because they were in a Christian scouting program in our church, and this was the motto. They recited them week after week and year after year from first grade through sixth. It has since become what could be called my “life verse.” I recall it regularly to myself and write it on cards for the graduates in my life. 

It is such an important verse, but it’s not always easy to follow what it says. There are several reasons why. Let’s look at the reasons why and what we can do to make it easier to live out.

First, trust is not easy for a lot of people. Even if it is trusting in God, the creator of the universe, and the creator of you. This is especially true for those of us who have been hurt and let down by others. We have been burned and led to believe no one is trustworthy, especially “with all your heart.” That is a call to total abandonment and complete unwavering trust. Then there may be times when our world is completely turned upside down and we’re blindsided, possibly by a death in the family or a scary diagnosis that we didn’t see coming. I find it helpful to recall God’s faithfulness in my life in other areas. This helps me trust that God will come through for me in this situation, even if it looks different than what I thought it would. 

Second, God tells us not to lean “on your own understanding.” It can be hard to admit that we don’t have all the answers and are sometimes wrong. Instead of seeking God’s understanding, we call our friend or family member, or even ask Google or Siri for answers. That isn’t wrong. God made us for relationships and uses others to help us sometimes. The problem comes when we do that instead of asking God first. I understand that temptation! I want answers now, and sometimes God takes longer than I want to get back to me. I need to remember that God has information I don’t have. He sees things, situations, and people with much more clarity and understanding than we do or our friends, Google, or Siri do. 

Third, God isn’t telling us to acknowledge Him in some of our ways—in the easy stuff or just the tough stuff. God cares about every area of our lives, from the most minor issues and concerns to the Goliath-sized issues we face. By acknowledging God, we can act wisely and follow what God values. The things I acknowledge God in include finding the right outfit when I am shopping, all the way to how I parent my young-adult children.

Fourth, God promises to make our paths straight. What does that mean? It means He will light up our next step at the right time, remove the obstacles that are in the way, or close a door that is not the right one for us to go through.

Reflection Questions:

In what area are you struggling to trust God? Are there areas of your life you could look back on and see how God worked to build your trust in what you are facing now?

Isn’t it great that we don’t have to control everything? How would it feel to let go and let God? What is a step you could take to help you let go of control?

Is there something that you have not gone to God with because you think it is too small or too big for Him to care about? Will you bring those things to Him now?

Who do you call when you face issues and situations you need help with? Could you start asking God before calling someone, and ask the Holy Spirit to lead the conversation?