Write It On Your Heart

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths."

I remember being in Sunday School and my teacher would have us memorize verses just like this one.

How awesome it is to come back to this same verse, (that didn't mean a whole lot to me then) and now that many seasons have passed, means more to me than I could even begin tell you!!

I just started reading the book of Proverbs and over the years I've highlighted verses here and there, but I've never gone through the entire thing... so what better time than than now to get started?!

Breaking this verse down a bit: author of Proverbs, Solomon, tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart."

If you're human, you go through difficult times that cause you to doubt.
I talked a little bit about doubting in my last post.

But friends, I've been struggling with doubt myself. I'm going through a season of unemployment and, more times than not, I have been discouraged as I venture out on my own to find the right job for me. If you've ever gone through or are going through this particular season, you know all too well how easy it is to get weighed down by the weight of disappointment and rejection.

It seems like every time I turn around, another rejection email comes in...

"You've got many great qualities 

and while you would shine at any organization, 

we have decided to take a different route

...yadda yadda...

thanks for your time."

Rough stuff I tell you.

But even when the going gets rough, and the doubt starts to creep in, we have to remember to trust in the Lord. Not just a little bit.. but with all of our hearts!

Here's the part that has just hit me over the head like a ton of bricks... 

I can't do this on my own.

That's right, you heard me... I need to seek the counsel of others to get through this time. I can't rely on my own understanding to lift this weight I'm carrying around with me. I have to seek out my Christian friends and mentors for encouragement and listen to their advice.

Now be wary of what advice you take to heart. Solomon also talks about writing these commands 3:3 "deep within your heart" and listen to avoid those who speak lies and not the truth.

How can we tell the difference?

We need to dust off our Bibles and dive right into God's love story to US!!! And it's His counsel that is the most important of all! Solomon goes on to say in 2:3 "we need to cry out for insight and understanding" and 1:7 "fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline."

It wasn't until I sought out the guidance of other friends who delight in the Lord's promises and heard encouragement from them and from these verses in Proverbs, that I began to feel at peace about where I am in my life.

The Lord is going to direct my path. That I know for sure because it's already predetermined. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Since before you and I were knitted together in our mother's womb, God knew that we would be in each of our current seasons and only He knows where we'll be 5 days... 5 weeks... 5 years from now.

Thank the Lord for this promise! He just asks that we give it all to Him and let Him take it from there.

Together, lets trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean on good friends that will help us live out our lives for Christ, no matter the season.

Thank you Father for knowing everything there is to know about us. Help us to truly give our fears and worries to you and never doubt in your plans for our lives. Help us to be a friend for those who need friendship and love, and also help us to go to others when we need guidance ourselves. We love you Lord and thank you for all our many blessings! -Amen.

Until next time :)
-A