Proverbs 3:5b “… lean not on your own understanding.”
Within your life, what are you leaning on the most? There is something or someone that everyone of us relies on. You can be relying on your skills, or your intelligence, or the resources that you have available to you. They may have been stable enough to support you up to this point, but what might you do in the event of a genuine emergency, when the storms of life arrive and you are at a loss for what to do? It might be a setback in the economy, a layoff, an unexpected diagnosis, or even worse, the unexpected death of a loved one.
When you live long enough, you come to realise that grief and pain are not discriminatory. Life happens, and when you live long enough, you discover that sorrow and suffering are indiscriminate. It doesn’t matter how wealthy or intelligent, or spiritual you are.
It is important to ask yourself if the things you are leaning on are able to keep you going no matter what occurs in future. If you are wise, you will acknowledge that you require something that is above your own capabilities, someone who is significantly more capable than you, so that you may rely on them in life. The wisdom that we are about to receive comes from the wisest man who ever lived, another than Christ Himself. He said, “… lean not on your own understanding.”
I can’t express how grateful I am that Solomon didn’t stop there. First, he gave us some advice on what we ought to do. It is said, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…”
There is a limit to how far you can go with your understanding, your talent, and your resources. On the other hand, when you place your trust in God, you have access to an infinite supply!
The people of God were taught this lesson by Moses through a great promise that can be found in Deuteronomy 33:27. This promise states, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
Learn how to lean on Him! He possesses arms that are more powerful and will last forever! How? Acknowledge Him in all your ways. He will never let you fall!