How to Have Ultimate Joy and Peace
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Leaning has a sense of putting your whole weight on something, resting and trusting in that person or thing. When we have an important decision to make, we sometimes feel that we can’t trust anyone—even God. But God knows the best path for us. He is a better judge of what we need than we are! We must trust him completely in every choice we make. We should not omit careful thinking or belittle our God-given ability to reason, but we should not trust our own ideas to the exclusion of others.
We must not be wise in our own eyes (Prov 3:7). We should listen to and accept correction from God’s word and wise counselors. Bring your decisions to God in prayer, use the Bible as your guide, and then follow God’s leading. He will make your paths straight by both guiding and protecting you.
To receive God’s guidance, said Solomon, we must submit to God in all our ways. This means turning every area of life over to him. About a thousand years later, Jesus emphasized this same truth (Matt 6:33).
Examine your values and priorities. What is important to you? Where is God on the list? In what areas have you failed to submit to him. In many areas of your life you may already submit to God, but the areas where you attempt to restrict or ignore his influence will cause you grief. If you make God a vital part of everything you do, he will guide you because you will be working to accomplish his purposes.
Leaning has a sense of putting your whole weight on something, resting and trusting in that person or thing. When we have an important decision to make, we sometimes feel that we can’t trust anyone—even God. But God knows the best path for us. He is a better judge of what we need than we are! We must trust him completely in every choice we make. We should not omit careful thinking or belittle our God-given ability to reason, but we should not trust our own ideas to the exclusion of others.
We must not be wise in our own eyes (Prov 3:7). We should listen to and accept correction from God’s word and wise counselors. Bring your decisions to God in prayer, use the Bible as your guide, and then follow God’s leading. He will make your paths straight by both guiding and protecting you.
To receive God’s guidance, said Solomon, we must submit to God in all our ways. This means turning every area of life over to him. About a thousand years later, Jesus emphasized this same truth (Matt 6:33).
Examine your values and priorities. What is important to you? Where is God on the list? In what areas have you failed to submit to him. In many areas of your life you may already submit to God, but the areas where you attempt to restrict or ignore his influence will cause you grief. If you make God a vital part of everything you do, he will guide you because you will be working to accomplish his purposes.
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