I like order. I function better when loose ends are tied down, relationships are smooth, and circumstances don't get me riled up. Don't we all!
When things are unsettled or uncertain... I begin to meander in my mind and run the whole series of what to do, how to do it, should I do this, or that, or what??
God says:
'Trust in the Lord with ALL of your heart... and LEAN NOT to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.'
This verse not only says clearly what I should do, it says very clearly what I should NOT do!
I'm afraid my tendency many times is to begin to 'lean' as I seek solutions to what may be going on.
I know I've told you before that I love a good visual picture. I like a message that is clear and to the point. Even if the message is long, it's the bottom line that I carry away with me. (maybe it's as simple as the fact that I can only remember that much!)
Not only does He tell us to trust Him with all of our heart... what follows is something that I need to remind myself of just about every day...
Lean not to your own understanding.
Like this little guy in the cartoon, he leaned and then lost his balance, probably not even aware that his feet were about to slide out from under him because as he leaned, he stepped onto a banana peel...
Not only should he not have leaned in the first place, the perils it brought were more than he bargained for.
If we begin to lean, we can loose our footing, and the consequences will appear before long. The thing that I love is that there is no gray area here. God is clear. Trust Me with ALL your heart... DON'T lean! When I begin to lean, I always have to go back to the place of obeying the second half of that verse.
My own understanding is limited. My own understanding includes my past experiences and some common sense, and what God has taught me to this point. It also includes what His Word says... but it doesn't include what God already knows about the whole situation or about the future... until I trust Him with it. ALL of it! Then He begins to 'unfold' the right answers.
Trusting God with every circumstance and relationship doesn't leave room for the 'leaning' part. Those are His words, His instructions.
I love it when His Word says it so clearly that even my 'leaning tendencies' are left with no wiggle room!
THAT is safe ground!
18 comments:
Oh good word...I have been leaning too much lately and seeing how what I think I should do and what I really need to do are two separate things. Thanks for the reminder, as I stand, well get back on my knees, and allow Him to iron out the details
A love a strong, straight word as well, Sonja. None more so than what it has to do with God's understanding verses mine! If we're going to lean and then to fall, let us do so into the middle of God's heart.
Have a great weekend. Rest easy in the arms of Jesus.
peace~elaine
I love and appreciate this wonderful wise
word, Sonja. I wouldn't even be alive today
if I leaned on my own understanding! How I
love to lean on those everlasting arms of
His!
Hugs & Blessings!
Love the little cartoon guy! It really does illustrate leaning so well. You are right. He doesn't tell us to just not lean a little, lean NOT! I'm trusting in Him.
this is good WORD and one that I need to heed to! it is so much to better to lean on HIM!
Dear Sonja,
Once more you've sent out a word in right time.
Not only do I like order; I like to be in control.
Not only do I lean on my understand, I'm leaning on my feelings. They are indeed unstable and easily moved.
Oh, to remember that I have built my house on a rock which has the inscription, "The Lord knows his Children."
That's something to lean on.
I'm glad I was lead to you this night. Now I shall go back to sleep.
Yours Felisol
Leaning on my own understanding has gotten the better of me more than once. I am finally learning to let go and to let any leaning i do be on God and God alone. Thanks for the reminder.
Leaning on my own understanding is NEVER something I do very well. Does make me wonder why I keep trying though...This was a wonderful reminder...
Have a wonderful week-end!
OH, I am with you 100%!! Being a teacher, I KNOW that clear rules and goals are the best way to keep everyone on track and happy, including MYSELF!!!! Anita
This is great Sonja, my understanding is a slippery slope, I lean on my own understanding and down I go, lean on God, who is that solid rock and I'm not going anywhere.
Love that little cartoon guy
Sonja - Always a joy to stop by and get a good dose of common sense and every day faith. :)
I am fairly certain that if I were "leaning" on my own understanding right now, I would be prone, and six feet under. :)
Thank God for the solid ground of The Rock.
Blessings to you - Marsha
Just as I expected: a word of wisdom!
I am guilty of leaning; and way too often. I used to struggle with something like this: "When all else fails, obey the Lord." Then I began shifting in the direction of "Before all else fails, obey the Lord."
Besides, when a big wind comes along, anything leaning is just plain felled!
THANK YOU, SONJA. Yes, God has been speaking but I am either hard of "hearing" or plain stubborn!!!! TIME TO do what I THINK HE is telling me to do.....Anita
Oh yes indeed, fellow Warrior!
I all too often slip on that banana peel - forgetting that the only thing I SHOULD lean on is GOD!
He is the strong One - the only dependable, reliable, sure thing in life. My understanding is all too often based on my feelings as I look at life through earthly eyes. Only when we trust in God can we begin to see with a heavenly perspective.
A great reminder - I needed it!
GOD BLESS!
Dear friend, I felt like you were in my head as you wrote this :) I can relate.
You said it bests here: "My own understanding is limited. My own understanding includes my past experiences and some common sense, and what God has taught me to this point. It also includes what His Word says... but it doesn't include what God already knows about the whole situation or about the future... until I trust Him with it. ALL of it! Then He begins to 'unfold' the right answers."
Thank you for the timely reminder!
I love you!
What a great post. You are so right about the leaning. I remember an early word study on the Greek word most often used for believe. It's the same word as is generally used for trust. To believe is to trust... and that particular word study walked it back to one simple word: lean.
Even though that verse above is Hebrew OT instead, I still love the picture that comes to my mind when I think of God saying, don't lean THAT way. Lean on Me instead.
Rambling, I know.
Sorry.
I just really liked this post, and it made me think.
A prophetic word here for me today. The Lord made it very clear in our time together this morning to trust Him! Good to hear it explained so well!
"My own understanding includes my past experiences and some common sense, and what God has taught me to this point. It also includes what His Word says... but it doesn't include what God already knows about the whole situation or about the future..."
Oh, I just love this. It's so true. Yet, how many times do I lean on my own understanding? It's so tempting to do.
Your post is a lovely reminder today.
Blessings to you.
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