Trusting and Knowing

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

I wonder how many of you could finish the words of those verses in your minds without really having to read them? Probably many of you. Please don’t let its familiarity lull you through the words, there really is treasure in those sentences.

The truth from those scriptures certainly crept into my mind a few days ago when I experienced it lived out as an illustration to me from God. A few days ago, the girls and I embarked (shall we say!) on a journey on our bicycles. We were going to ride from our house to my parents’ home which is about three miles. Let me remind you, I am not the portrait of a daring mother who throws caution to the wind. I have experienced both of my girls unconscious at different days on the calendar, and when you have actually tilted your little one’s head back to begin CPR, your perspective changes on so much, rendering you overly cautious at even normal childhood adventures. We have been on little bike rides on the lane in front of our home many times and each time, one of the two manages to push my buttons by failing to listen. I’m sure NONE of you can relate. Although I was uneasy about us riding three miles on the road, I knew they would be thrilled.

I warned them very clearly before leaving the driveway that they must listen to me and stay close to the edge of the road. I reminded them to listen for my voice and if I heard a car coming I would ask them to pull off to the side of the road. I even made them repeat my instructions as evidence they had heard me. There is not a great deal of traffic on our country lane, so we did not have much of an issue until we got out onto the highway. On more than one occasion though, I warned them that there was a car coming up from behind and, since we were in a place where it may be difficult for the car to see us, we should pull over into the grass.

Instead of immediately heeding my instruction, McKayla decided to look over her shoulder for herself to see the car coming. Each time she careened her neck over her shoulder, she also steered her bike into the center of the lane making the situation more dangerous. I could have choked her! Why can’t she just trust what I am telling her? I thought to myself, for goodness sakes I am your mother, why would I ever steer you wrong?

As I thought about her desire to see the situation for herself instead of just listening to me, God taught me a little lesson as well. (He probably could choke me sometimes too!) Immediately, this verse came to mind. The Holy Spirit reminded me - trust in God, don’t lean on your own understanding. Just as she wanted to see the car for herself to see how close it was, I often want to see a situation myself, I want to understand what’s coming my way.

That’s not trust.

That’s leaning on my own understanding.

Leaning on her own understanding is what was putting McKayla in more danger, right out in the center of the lane. Leaning on my own understanding can put me in danger too. Maybe not always physical danger, but danger of not experiencing the fullness of what He has planned all because I want to “know” for myself. Danger of falling into sin. Danger of hurting someone I love.

There’s no trust in “knowing”. Knowing is knowing. Knowing gives me opportunity to, shall we say, meddle in the outcome so that it plays out the way I think it should. Knowing allows me to stay in the road until the very last second before pulling off into the grass. Knowing does not require me to let Him be God.

Ouch, that hurt a little.

By the way tomorrow is another “Testify Tuesday”, so be ready to share with us what God has been showing you. I can’t wait to get some goosebumps!

Be Blessed Today,


Royal Princess Daughter Of The King