Life is. . . 

So many extra words, sentences, paragraphs, pages, or chapters that can be added to the phrase “Life is”. One minute life is good and the next minute life may not be so good. What should we as believers do to help us navigate through these moments? The Bible tells us in Proverbs 3:5-6 ”Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (NKJV)

This scripture has blessed me and comforted me in so many ways and so many times. I will often share this scripture with others when they are seeking answers. There are times in my own life where I just don’t understand the why, but I do know God has a plan for me. I have to remember to trust Him when the times are not so good just as much, if not more, as I trust Him when times are good. I have learned over the years not to try to figure things out on my own. It took me some time to get here in my thinking and in my prayer life, but thankfully, there has been progress. 

When the not so good moments occur, I have to go to God for Him to comfort me and to give me the peace I need. He can do that better than me phoning a friend or posting my circumstances on social media. He can comfort me better than retail therapy or eating too much of a favorite dessert. No one understands me better than God understands me. No one understands you better than God understands you. Remember, He is the One who created you and knit you together in your mother’s womb. He is the One who knows your thoughts even before you think them or speak them (Psalm 139).

Perhaps this is why  Proverbs 3:5 starts off with ” Trust in the LORD with all your heart”. We have to trust Him because He is the One who gave us our hearts. He loves us just as we are and He knows how we are feeling about certain issues in our lives. Then we have to lean not unto your own understanding”. God is saying I may not need you to understand right at this particular moment, but in time you will get some understanding out of your circumstances. God is saying if you trust Him and don’t try to figure things out on your own and also acknowledge Him, then He will set you on the right path. We have to lean in the right direction at all times and in all of our ways. The right way to go is to lean towards God.

There is a hymn we sang in church when I was a young girl titled “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms”. Hopefully, some of you know this song and/or remember it. Back then I had a hymn book in my hands and I would sing along with the rest of the congregation.  Here are a few lines in this song:

“What a blessedness, what a peace is mine.

Leaning on the everlasting arms. 

Leaning, leaning;  Safe and secure from all alarms.”

Safe and secure from all alarms! In other words, acknowledge Him in all our ways, then we will be safe and secure. Life is full of surprises. Life is full of ups and downs. How we manage to get through each day is key. Do we try to figure everything out and keep asking why? Or, do we turn to God and trust Him to lead us the right way. John 10:10 says ”The thief does not come except to steal and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” When we are leaning the right way, we are trusting God and trusting His plans for our lives. Life is better when we come to know we can trust God and don’t have to figure things out on our own. The right way to lean is to trust God and to acknowledge Him.

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Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank You for the blessing of life you have given us this day. You woke us up this morning. We are grateful that You are protecting us and providing for us right now. We thank You, Father, for being merciful and loving towards us. Please forgive us of our sins. Forgive us for when we try to understand things on our own without trusting You and acknowledging You. Help us, Father, to be more intentional in seeking You for direction and clarity in our circumstances. Thank You, Father, for directing our paths and for Your word being a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths. Thank You for being the Everlasting Arms we can lean into at all times and be safe from all harm and dangers. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen and amen, again.