In Proverbs 3:5 we read the oft quoted verse “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding”. In this verse the word trust is defined as to have confidence, be bold, be secure, to feel safe. The word lean is defined as to trust in or support oneself and understanding is defined as discernment. Concerning this verse, one commentator (Clarke) has written “Do not prop up thyself. It is on God, not on thyself, that thou art commanded to depend. He who trusts in his own heart is a fool”.
We see this in action in the Book of Job. Both Job and his friends spend much of the time trying to understand Job’s condition, leaning upon their own understanding, based upon their own faulty theology at the time, that all suffering was a result of one’s individual sin. The friends torment Job with this idea while Job torments himself asking why? Through it all Job does not lose his faith in God. In fact, he says in Job 13:15 that even unto death he will maintain his hope in God.
We are sometimes faced with great sorrow and tragedy. Do we place our trust and hope in God or do we try to lean upon ourselves. Let us not be foolish but rather faithful. Trust in God!
How God Saves – – Keep the faith
