God’s Direction for Our Daily Decisions
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledgeHim,andHe shall direct your
paths.”–Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJ)
No matter your age or position, your life is teeming with
decisions. This passage prescribes three commitments that
prepare us to navigate the sea of questions we face each day.
Taken together, obeying these commands yields a life that fully
depends upon God and, therefore, fully enjoys His direction for
our daily decisions.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart”—First, wemust accept
God’s dependability. If we don’t completely rely upon the Lord
with the totality of our being,we shouldn’t expectHis guidance.
Halfhearted trust isn’t trust at all, especially when it comes to
trusting God.
“…do not lean [depend] on your own understanding”—As we
accept that He is totally trustworthy, we should simultaneously
admit God’s wisdom into our lives. God wants to offer generous
doses of wisdomwhen we ask in faith as a demonstration of our
dependence on Him (Jas 1:5-8). Conversely, exclusive reliance
upon our own intellectual resources blinds us to the direction of
the only true Know-It-All!
“In all your ways acknowledgeHim”—Because life is so complex
and interrelated, we must acknowledge God’s presence in every
area to discern His leading in any area. Otherwise, how will we
see His guiding hand? And why should we expect God to guide
us at the crossroads of life if we ignore His leadership the rest of
the time? Look for Him in all you do.
“…and He shall direct your paths”—As a result of sincerely
practicing these principles, we can anticipate God’s direction.
What great news! Our Shepherd will guide us in the decisions of
life as we consistently accept His dependability, admit His
wisdom, and acknowledge (put first)His person and presence in
our lives.
To Discuss and Do: Have each person finish the statement, “The decision
I’mfacing right now that I wouldmost like to have God’s direction in is…”
Record the answers in your journal (Appendix E and discuss how you can
apply these verses to experience God’s guidance in those areas.Review the
answers at the end of the 40 Days,which is Thanksgiving week.As we live
lives of commitment between now and then,we’ll be amazed at the gift of
God’s direction for our decisions. There will be even more things to be
grateful for this year!
