 |
| Source: Unsplash, Rapha Wilde |
It is rare that I spend any length of time meditating upon and studying one or two verses of the Bible. But this summer, I've been camped out on Proverbs 3:5-6 for the past 3 months.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
And with the help of Megan Fate Marshman's book, Bible study, and streaming videos, I've been able to deeply dive into this passage.
Her chapters are entitled "Trust in the Lord" and "With All Your Heart," followed by "Lean Not" and then "On Your Own Understanding."
In this way, you are not only dipping into a concept, but bathing in it, meditating upon it, and being honest with your own heart before God.
But this isn't just a book review blog post, because God has been teaching me more about trusting Him and leaning on Him, far outside the reaches of these pages.
You see, I have had the privilege of helping a family member this summer who has suffered through a diagnosis and surgery that has left her with the need to relearn how to ambulate and how to transfer seats, among other skills.
For one week, I had a front-row seat to watch how she would muster the strength to stand, sling her arms around her father's neck, transfer her full body-weight to his strong frame, and then pivot from the couch into her wheelchair.
It was almost like a beautifully choreographed dance--stepping out, transferring weight, trusting, pivoting, placing feet, moving throughout the home, moving throughout her day. It wasn't necessarily glamourous--no glittery ballgowns or high-heeled shoes--but a beautiful waltz none-the-less of trust, faith, and surrender.
How ridiculous it would have been for her to lean upon herself--how unproductive, and frankly, how dangerous!
And of course, as I watched this object lesson over and over again, each day while we stayed with our family, the Lord would bring these questions to mind in my own life...
Do you trust me enough to lean your FULL weight upon me?
Do you see how foolish it is to lean upon your own strength and understanding?
Do you see the simple beauty of this dance...this Gospel Waltz? (another great book I'd highly recommend!)
And so I sit in the silence and ponder these questions afresh, all these days later.
Trusting God as we launch our first daughter to college, 1500 miles away.
Trusting God as we pivot to homeschooling high school for our youngest daughter.
Trusting God as we minister in new ways in our local church.
Trusting God with our futures, with our finances, with all things seemingly great and even those that seem trivial and small.
Leaning upon Him and trusting His wisdom, and not upon my own...for this moment, for this day, for this season.
Will you lean into this dance, as well, dear friend, in the areas where God has been nudging you to trust Him fully? I pray that we would be a part of this beautiful dance, as we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide and to give us strength, every moment of every day.
No comments