Trust The LORD For A Smooth Path

[Pro 3:5-6 NASB] “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

We can’t trust just “anyone” or “anything” other than He who makes Himself supremely known. Interesting that it takes a lifetime to get to know a person, but the LORD is one who gave Himself and can be trusted. He is our Creator (is there anyone who knows us better?) and He knows best how to supply us with all we need. This is why He can be trusted.

He is to be trusted with “all your heart.” It’s a well known saying, that “‘all’ means ‘all’” so there is no guesswork as to how much of our heart is required to trust Him. If we trust with the entirety of the core of our being, there is no room for our own understanding. So many are of the opinion they must first understand and this is not the case. How does one come to that conclusion, anyway? Was there some sort of pre-understanding that enabled one to conclude there must be understanding? Trust is not trust unless it is trust. Understanding comes later.

I remember my father telling me that when he gave me something to do, I was to act immediately, without question, wavering or hesitation. I remember distinctly the concise picture he gave me: imagine I was swimming in the pond and a ‘gator was nearby. He shouts “get out of the water!” Do I tread water and dialogue about why I have to get out when I am having so much fun, or do as he says post-haste?

To this day I still wrestle with wanting to understand first, then act; however, I have learned the wisdom of responding to the person of my trust first.

As follows “all the heart” concerning trust, we are to acknowledge the LORD in “all our ways”, referring to the path we walk. It’s two words in Hebrew and the meaning is very succinct: “As you walk, know Him.” This does not mean “Praise Jesus, Praise Jesus, Praise Jesus,” every time you do something (though praise and worship are great, in context). Instead it means “to become acquainted”; that is, to be known by Him.

The result? Well, do you recall the steps of preparing for the King’s visit? Every low place was filled in, every high place was leveled, the crooked made straight and the rough spots made smooth. I get the picture here of walking along with King, in fellowship. Just as He intended in the very first garden.

This is the rest of the story. When we trust Him, we have fellowship with Him and share a path that He has prepared for us to walk. Our understanding is not a crutch to help us along the way, but the reward of walking with Him giving Him the rightful place as King. We are His subjects and serve from the love motive. Lean on ourselves? What help is there? Lean on Him and move along the smoother path that leads to His glory.