5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
This is one of my favorite Bible passages. I reflect on it a lot…especially vs. 5, and do not lean on your own understanding. I try to make sense of things and I’m not always very good at it. Sometimes, many times, I read more into a situation than I should, only to my own detriment. Sometimes I misread people. I often misunderstand someone because of miscommunication, my own insecurities, or prejudices. I, sometimes, have my own preconceived ideas and/ or personal desires for a situation to evolve in a certain way and that usually hinders the outcome. The reality is this…if I lean on my own understanding, it typically doesn’t play out very well.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, vs. 6. I didn’t really consider what this means until earlier last week. I think everything you do and say should reflect God. It means you can’t stick Him in a drawer or the top shelf in the linen closet only to pull Him out when you need Him. God needs to be with your every step. Include Him. Honor Him. Acknowledge Him through everything you do.
Do not be wise in your own eyes, vs. 7. This is a tough one for me. Maybe for most people. I think I know situations well enough to give advice, or even in my own decision making, when clearly I am not well suited for either. Believing we know better than God what’s in our best interest is being pretty wise in our own eyes as well. Maybe it has to do with our attitude too. I know in the past I’ve been humbled greatly for thinking I knew it all and had the correct answers…until the crown was disgracefully knocked from my head. Arrogance, selfishness, and pride can make you look pretty foolish when God steps in and takes control of a situation. There’s nothing more humbling than being humbled by God.
I find that as I get older, I have mellowed some. And I am grateful for that. I don’t get angry as easily as before. You realize that there’s no sense in it. A lot of things that upset us are trivial in the scheme of life. Think of all the energy and time wasted on something that won’t even be remembered next week. Handle things more gently and not as if each issue is the end of the world. I admit that my nerves are a little more on edge lately with family issues and this virus and all its inconsistencies, so I’ve reacted in sharper ways than I normally would. I can’t let situations control me. I need to be in control of my reactions. But for the most part, I am a calmer more patient person.
I intend to reflect on these verses throughout the coming week. I hope you found this useful too. Thank you for stopping by today. Have a wonderful new week.
Set aside some time today to give God the glory for all He has done. Thank Him for sending His Son to us. And today, and always, be ever so grateful. ♥️
Andi
Photo: a beautiful bird feeder and an orchid. Taken at a flower shop where I once worked.
Coffee with Andi 