Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. “

It is an easy error to take a passage like this one, and turn it into something it is not. All one need do, is take the first word “trust” and make it bear the entire weight of the thought.

But that is to miss the point entirely.

In other words, our author’s exhortation is NOT to merely be a trusting person, to be a “person of faith” or to have some sort of generic trust that everything will work out OK. What we are being called to here is to trust in God Himself. To trust His character, His promises.

We cannot trust our own perceptions of circumstances and their imagined meanings. But we can and MUST trust God’s revelation of Himself in His word, and in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

This takes us off of the futile task of trying always attach specific meaning to very little event in life – and to instead find the meaning of everything in the Author of Life Himself. Trust Him Believer. Trust the God who cannot lie. Trust the God who cannot sin. Trust His promises. Trust His descriptions of reality in the Word. Trust His Gospel. Trust Him above everybody and everything else.

Then again – do not forget the underlying presupposition here: You cannot trust anyone you do not know – not really. So – do you know Him? Do you know Him in the person of Jesus Christ? Do you know Him as your Lord and Savior? As your sin-bearer? When you do – then you can trust Him fully.

If you do really know Him, then you know you can bring everything to Him, EVERYTHING. He can be trusted with it. Do not fail to make every concern, ever twinge of anxiety or fear known. Do the same with every joy and thanksgiving. And with every sin and failing. You delights, desires and pains and woes. Nothing puts Him off. Nothing scares Him. Nothing is beyond His power. Because He loves you He is FOR you in every struggle. Never try to appear before Him the way you think He wants you to be – come naked, wounded, discouraged, fearful, fretful, sinful and undone. Bring Him into every aspect and moment of life. Every experience. Live life IN Christ.

Matthew 12:20–21 “a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; 21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Are you broken and bruised? He will not break you. He will tenderly nurse you back to strength. Is your spiritual flame reduced to little more than a smoldering wick? He won’t extinguish you – He’ll cause His Spirit to gently blow until you burn as a bright flame once more. Come to Him.

Trust in HIM with all your heart – even when you can’t sort out the pieces. And He will see to it you do not fall off the path to His glory.