He will speak if you listen

Proverbs 3.5-6
 
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, not in what you understand from your limited perspective. Consult him about everything in life and keep you on the right path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
 
         Here is a verse of scripture that is almost as well known as John 3:16. It would be hard to find a Christian adult who has not recited this verse to himself again and again in a time of decision. Should I or should I not? Is this what God wants me to do? What about its impact on family? Then comes the verse and we hear God telling us to trust him completely in the decision. It’s okay to think about the options but when push comes to shove don’t trust your own insights. What you know is only part of the story; God knows the entire story and wants to help you make the right decision. And it doesn’t matter whether that decision is really big and important or relatively mundane; he knows best. Our role is to “submit to him” (NIV) so he can direct our lives as he wishes.
         I have the feeling that quite often when teaching a portion of Scripture or using it for a sermon it would be best for the expositor to step aside and allow the reader to use the given time for personal meditation on the text. In the long run we really know only that which is revealed to us. Spiritual truth is personal and fulfills its purpose when it becomes active in a person’s life. So I will stop here . . . or should I risk interfering with how God may be speaking to you through the above verses of scripture? Perhaps we may be able to achieve both.
         I suspect that my decisions throughout life have not bit much different than yours. When faced with the reality of sin and it’s penalty I quickly headed down the aisle. I questioned where to go for higher education, what professional job I should take in life, who I should marriage, etc. As I look back there is one thing I can say with certainty and that is when I did what our passage for today says I found that the result was always good. And I mean always! But when I didn’t listen, I got into trouble. Christians agree that God’s plan for life is the best, and the fact that we sometimes veer from this path simply validates the scriptural teaching that the old nature is flawed and wants us to repeat indefinitely the mistake of the Garden of Eden.
         So let’s reflect for a few moments on what God has to say about guidance in these two verses.
 
         “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”
 
       “Don’t lean on your own understanding.”
 
       “Submit to Him in all your ways.”
             
 “He will keep you on the right path.”
 
I’m glad you took my suggestion and if you jotted down what God has said to you it would be interesting to compare notes – one sinner saved by grace to another.