
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 18 – Proverbs 3:5-8 – Trust In The Lord – Growing As Disciples
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8 (NIV)
Trust In Me
That’s a pretty weak thing to lean on. That will never support you. What’s that? It is a foolish mistake to lean on your own understanding. Why is that? You don’t have all the answers. You can’t see the larger perspective. You have no idea of what is just ahead. No, I don’t. Let me ask you a question. Go right ahead, I’m listening. You have my full attention. What has happened when you have relied on your own understanding? Well, sometimes I have fallen flat on my face. Not literally, but I’ve made some dumb decisions and some large mistakes. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to retrace my steps, reverse course and go back to where I got sidetracked. You don’t need to tell me. Why is that? I already know.
I have another question for you. What’s that? How will you know if you are trusting in me or relying on your own understanding? You do want to trust me don’t you? Yes, I want to trust you. If I’m going to trust in you, I probably need to start by asking you for you wisdom and your help. You don’t sound to sure about that. No, I’m sure. Trusting you begins with praying to you and asking for your help. If I haven’t asked for your help it seems pretty obvious to me that I am relying on myself. Prayer is an acknowledgement that I am trusting you and not relying on myself. That’s right. What are some other indications that you are probably relying on yourself rather than trusting in me? Taking all the credit for what I have done in life is a sure sign that I have trusted in myself. It shows that not only have I not trusted in you but that I am thinking I am the one deserving praise for all I have accomplished. What do you think about that? That attitude is pretty disgusting. You are the one that deserves glory and honor and praise for all you have done in and through my life. Yes, I am. What else? One look at my path will reveal whether I have been trusting in you or relying on myself. How so? If my path is crooked, indecisive and meandering all over, then it shows that I have been trusting in the uncertainty of my own understanding. If you take a closer look at my path you will see that I have had to stop, turn around and go back to where I got sidetracked and wandered off the path you had laid out for me. Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about. When you trust in me I will make your path straight. You will know where I want you to go. You will know what I want you to do. What else? When I have been wise in my own eyes, I have not lived in reverent fear of you. I have not run away from evil. Getting entangled in evil is just one more sign that I have relied on myself rather than trusting in you. Yes, it is. What is one sign that you really are trusting in me? When I’m trusting in you I have a sense of peace and well being in my life. I feel like you are bringing health to my body and refreshment to my bones. I have joy and delight in following you. Is that what you want? Yes Lord, it is.
Lord, I will trust in you with all my heart rather than on my own understanding. I will acknowledge you in all I think, say and do. I will reverently fear you as I humbly accept your wisdom. I will turn from evil and walk on your path as you refresh my life. Amen
Key Question… When has relying on your own understanding led you to wander from the path the Lord had for you?
Living It Out… Trust in the Lord with all your heart rather than leaning on your own understanding.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith to trust in the Lord with all your heart rather than leaning on your own understanding.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are trusting in the Lord with all your heart.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you trust in the Lord with all your heart and not lean on your own understanding.
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
Promises – Day 18 – Proverbs 3-5-8- Trust In The Lord – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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