“Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT).
What does the Bible mean by the “heart?” It is a metaphor for the inner self, where a person’s character, with its thoughts, motives and attitudes, dwells. The heart is the seat of the will. It is the throne of one’s life from which choices and actions originate.
In this proverb, we are essentially instructed to put the LORD on the throne of our hearts, to trust His will over our own. The proverb gives both a positive and a negative command: Trust God. Don’t trust yourself.
How many times have you regretted following your own advice? Your understanding was flawed and you suffered the consequences of relying on it. We must come to see that our own understanding is negatively affected by our fallen nature, by our sin-stained hearts. As the prophet Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
Recognizing our heart condition, we decide to trust the Lord’s heart, the Lord’s will, rather than our own. We surrender the throne of our hearts to the Lord saying, “Lord, You take over. I want Your will, not mine.”
Doing this, we experience heart transformation. We receive a new heart that only wants what the Lord wants.
Put your trust in the Lord and in His Word. Rely on Him. He will never fail you. His wisdom is perfect. His understanding is flawless. He will guide you on the right paths.
PRAYER: Dear Father, there is so much that is out of order and upside down in our world today. There is so much chaos and confusion. Yet, we will trust in You. Lead us. Guide us. Instruct us in Your way. We surrender the throne of our hearts to You. For we will not lean on our own understanding. We are leaning on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.