Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
— PROVERBS 3:5-6 —
E. A. | Middle East
Our hearts are often the reason our Christian lives become tiresome and ineffective, why our marital relationships turn dry and unpleasant, why our ministry seems burdensome and disappointing, and, at times, our whole lives seem to be falling apart. Yes, the reason is often this—we trust our own hearts too much. And here we are warned, the problem is not outside of us, but inside. Why? God gave us a great gift when He gave us our minds with the ability to think, evaluate, analyze, and interpret. And He did this because He wants us to use our minds to achieve His purposes, to do His will, and to share in His great work. Even when we try to do good, ministering to others, and serving God, we often lean on our understanding. The heart of our problem is the problem of our hearts. But because of sin, man’s heart (thoughts, desires, feelings, and wills) was hijacked by satanic lies about self-sufficiency. As a result, instead of relying on God’s revelation, we rely on ourselves. Even when we try to do good, ministering to others, and serving God, we often lean on our understanding. The heart of our problem is the problem of our hearts. In this text, God Himself—our Heavenly Father—reorients our natural disposition. He “unbends” our natural “bending inward.” Here, instead of trusting our own opinions, feelings, or intuitions, we are commanded to trust in God. Instead of putting ourselves at the center of our lives, God is to be first and most important. He is to be the reference point, the highest authority. Why? His ways are better and His understanding is bigger! His every command and promise are expressions of His fatherly love and only He can make our paths straight. Don’t trust your heart—trust Him!
