At a recent Life Support gathering, our director led a talk and dissected the following verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, Acknowledge Him in all ways and He will make your paths straight. She took each part and discussed it, thoroughly. This was several weeks ago and I have to tell you, the 'Lean not on your own understanding' has been a huge source of comfort, direction, growth, and yes, a challenge for me! It truly, truly, truly changes perspective!
My own understanding is so limited. It's limited by my thought process, my emotions, my wounds, my pride, my desire to be right, my tendency to jump to conclusions, my sensitivity, and my human sinful nature. WOW! Knowing all of that, why would I *want* to lean on my own understanding? It's the breeding ground for misconceptions, misunderstandings, misspeaking, and mistakes!!
Think about it. Our own understanding says if someone hurts us we better put up a wall, or (ashamed to admit)...find a way to hurt back. His understanding says to forgive, love, try to find the why behind the what...it's the place called mercy.
Our own understanding allows us to feel threatened. His understanding teaches us to trust. If something *is* amiss, He will take care of it, anyway! In His time and in His way.
Our own understanding allows us to pine for the things others have, or to compete...even if we don't realize we are competing. His understanding reminds us that greater is He that is in you than He that is of the world. Yes, we *are* wired to want more. We will *not* be satisfied until we get it. But, the "more"...isn't material wealth. It's not a better job, an easier relationship, a newer car, a smaller body, a better-behaved child...it's a relationship with God. Everyone knows 'about' Him. We were born to know Him. The peace about this can't come from our own understanding. It has to come from His.
Lastly, if you struggle to even believe in Him and the promises and plans he has for *your* life, or you think that's fine for other people, but I don't need this religious stuff, I can promise you, that's *your* understanding talking. First, it's not about religion. Religion is sadly keeping people from God, if that makes any sense to you. It's about a relationship directly with Him. It's what He wants more than anything, and what we *need* more than anything.
Our understanding of God is as limited as a mouse's understanding of the computer you're sitting at. There *is* no way to explain to the mouse the intricacies of a computer. It doesn't make the computer any less real. Don't wait to understand until you accept. His understanding is the only thing that can make your relationship with Him make sense. Until you start that relationship, you can't lean on that understanding. :)
Wherever you are in your faith, make today a day you begin to question your reaction to people, comments, actions, situations, assumptions, etc. Stop and say, "I'm *not* leaning on my own understanding on this. I don't like how this feels and I will lean on yours, God. He *will* make your paths straight.
It has helped me and I wanted to share....
:)
