http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Prov%203:5-6&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2033:3&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt%207:7-8&version=NIV
A couple of days ago I came across the following saying on a poster at Positive Outlooks. It said, “Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” Apparently it was said by Dr. Spock. (The famous pediatrician. Not to be confused with Mr. Spock. The Vulcan on Star Trek!) Anyway, when I saw On one hand I can see the message in a positive light. (Maybe this is why it is on the site Positive Outlooks in the first place!) As we all know, there are some people who doubt themselves. For those of us who have children, we often see this in them. We know that they have the skills or capabilities of performing some task or accomplishing some project but they don’t know it. They are scared. Nervous. Unsure. In their mind they really don’t know whether or not they are going to be able to come through. The last thing they want to do is to fail. To look foolish. So we encourage them. We encourage them to take a step of faith and try, knowing that they will be fine. They will succeed.
On the other hand, I look at the message on this poster and I see it in a negative light. More humanistic propaganda. In other words, we always know what’s best for us. All we need to do is get in touch with our inner self. To trust our own instincts. To make a decision and then run with it. Really? In some cases, this may indeed be true. But in many others it isn’t. Speaking for myself, I don’t always know what to do in a situation. Sometimes my instincts and read on a situation are wrong. Way wrong. Ooops! Other times my actions may not necessarily be wrong but they could have been better. This is where God comes into the picture.
The Bible tells us that God is all-knowing. That He knows the end from the beginning. In other words, He knows what is going to happen tomorrow. And the next day. And next week. And next year. I don’t have that kind of knowledge. Sure I can project what might happen in the future. But I don’t know. Not with any degree of certainty. Not only does God know the future, He also knows the facts. All of them. He knows what was said, what others are thinking, what unseen or unconsidered forces are at work. Once again, I don’t. All I know is what I know. (Did that just sound weird?) In other words, I only know what I have observed or been told. Other than that I am clueless. I could be thinking that a situation or a person is rather harmless and they could be waiting to have me for lunch!
The point is that relying on God is the surest way to live, to make decisions. He alone knows what the future holds. He knows all the facts in a given situation. So the best thing I can do in life is to trust Him. Not myself. Fortunately, not only does God know what I need to know, He’s more than willing to share it with me. He will help me make good decision after good decision in life as I rely upon Him. All I have to do is ask. In faith. Then act on what He tells me.
I find great comfort in this. I have a friend in high places. Very high places. And, yes, He is a Know-It-All. In the best sense of the word. So I am going to put my trust in Him. Let Him lead and guide me.
Lord, I thank you that I have a source of wisdom and knowledge far beyond my own. And it’s found in You. Help me to come to You for every decision that I make in life. Big and small. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment