Proverbs 3:5, 6 - Dealing With Problems.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 - Dealing With Problems.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 (KJV)  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; 
and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways 
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

Proverbs 3:5, 6 (CWR)  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and 
don't depend on your own understanding. Put the Lord first in 
everything you do and He will direct your life. 

  What is your first reaction when a seemingly impossible 
situation rears its ugly head? When you are befuddled, caught off guard, 
gut punched, or waylaid, how do you respond?  
  Christians are not above being stymied by life's difficulties. 
As we grow in our faith, however, we should find that our knee-jerk 
reactions change. Hezekiah's did. When the conquering, evil king sent a 
horrifying message, Hezekiah didn't panic. He went straight to God instead. 
Instead of simply reacting, Hezekiah created a space where God could 
breathe his power into the situation.  
  That's a good example to follow. Becoming a believer does not 
remove life's problems. When the problem arrives -- by mail, from the 
doctor's office, in a phone call -- "spread it out before the Lord." 
Invite God into the problem. Instead of bustling around in your own 
strength or giving up because you know you're not strong enough, lay it 
before God and see what he says. [The One Year Bible for New Believers 
re 2 Kings 19:14] 

Throughout Proverbs one sees the reward of trusting in the Lord 
as opposed to the futility of resting in one's own wisdom and 
seeking one's own way. God designed His creation to have a dependency 
upon Him. Even the ordinary decisions of a day need the counsel of 
God, who instructs His creation to consult Him about even the most 
minute details, whether in the spiritual or secular realm. God promises 
to communicate in return. The Fall itself was precipitated when man 
sought to live independently of God, and this human independence 
continues at the heart of sinful rebellion today. [Believer's SB] 

Self-sufficiency and self-dependence have been the ruin of 
mankind ever since the fall of Adam. The grand sin of the human race is 
their continual endeavor to live independently of God, i. e., to 
ignore God in the things they do. (Adam Clarke Commentary mod) 

Our downfall comes when we fail to draw strength and wisdom from 
God and consult him when making choices.  He wants to be there for 
us, to guide and direct us - if we will only let him.  [Barbara 
Stephens; Life Recovery Devotional SB] 

Entire trust in God is the only logical position for Christians 
to take. God has all knowledge and all power, and foresees and 
prepares against all the troubles that come upon man. For anyone to rely 
on his own understanding is foolish indeed. It is also folly to 
alternate between trust in self and trust in God. [SDA Commentary mod] 

  The natural inclination in Christian living is to act on the 
impulse of a good idea. Not every good idea is from God. Sometimes good 
ideas get in the way of God ideas.  
  Where does your inspiration come from? The vision of the 
transfigured Christ inspired Peter: "O Lord, it is good for us to be here. If 
you wish, I will put up three shelters - one for you, one for Moses 
and one for Elijah" (Matthew 17:4). Our natural impulse is to do 
something good for God and suggest it to Him.  
  The tendency of the well-meaning person is to prepare a plan 
to do some good idea, and then pray, "Jesus, this is my plan. It is 
a good plan. It hurts no one, and I want it to please You. Lord, 
please bless my plan." It is plan, then pray.  
  So many of our ideas are impetuous. They are not what the Lord 
wants to do. They do not resemble in any way the things which concern 
Him. We have good ideas, but they are not God ideas. His agenda and 
our agenda conflict. We want to build Him a shelter but that is not 
what He wants.... When Peter, James, and John heard the voice of the 
Lord . . . they abandoned their inventive-but-self-made idea. The 
presence of the Lord magnified, and His holiness brought them to their 
senses. Jesus gained their attention, not by subduing them with a stem 
scolding, but by magnifying His presence until all the genius of their 
human ideas was bleached out by His refulgent face. 
  When they abandoned their good idea and fell facedown before 
the Lord, He could work with them again.... 
  When you and I abandon our good idea and fall to our face 
before me Lord, then He will come and touch us, too. When we pursue our 
own plan He cannot use us. We must abandon our good idea and fall 
facedown before Him. Then He will be able to use us again. Then He will 
reveal what He is doing - a God idea.... It is pray, then plan. Through 
prayer, Jesus instructs of His plan, a God idea. 
  Prayer removes the impulse of the good idea, the good idea 
born of human ingenuity but not of God. Pray, then plan. It is the 
habit of the surrendered saint. (From Walking with Christ in the 
Details of Life by Patrick M. Morley) [Inspirational SB] 

When we have an important decision to make, we sometimes feel 
that we can't trust anyone--not even God. But God knows what is best 
for us. And he knows even better than we do what we really want. 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 all others. We must 
not be wise in our own eyes. We should always be willing to listen 
to and be corrected by God's Word and wise counselors. Bring your 
decisions to God in prayer, use the Bible as your guide, and follow God's 
leading. He will make your paths straight by both guiding and protecting 
you. [Life Application SB] 

Place your confidence in God, wholly, on a matter. (To do so, 
you will have to pray and search His Word to find out what it has to 
say on that matter.) This is putting our thoughts before the Lord 
and His Word. As we do this, He will give us the direction we need.  
Decide today to pay due respect to God in all that is done.  He will 
direct decisions, judgments, and actions.  And we can count on growing 
in our walk with Him. [In His Time; Walk With Wisdom]  

So begin, continue, and end every work, purpose, and device, 
with God. Earnestly pray for his direction at the commencement; look 
for his continual support in the progress; and so begin and continue 
that all may terminate in his glory: (Adam Clarke Commentary mod) 

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