How To Succeed In Life Series

PROVERBS 3: 5 & 6

HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE

[Jeremiah 10:23-24]

[This text has a special place in my heart. Since 1977 it has been one of my life verses. I have not always been fully obedient to its injunction, but when I have the promise that He shall direct my paths has proven true.] Does God still guide His people today? Certainly He guided Abraham, Moses, Samuel and the Apostle Paul. But will He guide us in our daily life and decisions? Can we come to the Lord and expect Him to give us the direction we need in the decisions of life. Here God says He will guide and direct us. He will led us into a balanced life and proper decisions. The big question though is will we obey God's will if He reveals it to us? Trusting and obeying is what is absolutely necessary to be guided by God (CIT).

The day before his 52nd birthday, ABRAHAM LINCOLN left Springfield, Illinois to become President of the United States. With the threat of civil war looming, he said goodbye to the friends and neighbors who had come to see him off. "I now leave," he told them, "not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon [George] Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance, I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me. I bid you an affectionate farewell."

Many celebrate Lincoln's kindness, integrity, and courage. Yet we can also learn from him how to face a daunting future with confident hope in the Lord. Lincoln's reliance on God for guidance and strength reflects the instruction of Solomon: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path."

I. TRUST GOD, 5a.

II. DON'T FULLY TRUST YOURSELF, 5b.

III. TOTAL OBEDIENCE, 6a.

IV. PROMISED DIRECTION, 6b.

The first step in getting the guidance of God for our lives is admitting we need it. Thus verse 5 begins with the command to trust the Lord. "Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."

From God alone comes true help and eternal prosperity. He knows the right way to the right ends. He knows what truly benefits us. He is able to free us from that which does us harm. Therefore it is our daily privilege and safety to place our confidence completely in Him and not in our-own feeble at best- judgment. For living without trust in God is like driving in dense fog.

We are commanded to trust God with nothing less than "all our heart"--and to obey Him in all our ways. That means total commitment to Him. The word translated trust means "to be helpless, face-down." It is the picture of one allowing another to do anything to him and will not oppose it. It is casting all hopes for the present and future upon God and finding shelter and security in Him.

Heart in Hebrew can refer to one's emotions (Prov. 12:25; 13:12; 14:10,13) but more often to the intellect or mind (or understanding-10:8; discernment-15:14; reflection-15:25) or the will (5:12). What God is saying is to cast upon our Lord our total trust. Not holding back in any area of our mind, will or feeling. That my friends is a major assignment.

Man was created to be a trusting being, he is thus always leaning on some object. His consciousness of dependence is so deep that he dare not stand alone. This trusting instinct, like all other instincts of his nature, has been sadly perverted by wrong direction. Everywhere man is leaning on the unworthy, the unreliable, and the undependable; hence his constant disappointment and further confusion.

Every one trust something or some one. Many trust in a business, a company, a job, home, bank account, lands, friends, government, a spouse, their physical strength or mental ability. These are all good things, but they are not worthy of our primary and supreme trust. God alone is worthy of supreme trust. He is the object of complete trustfulness. The all merciful, all wise, all knowing, all powerful, all loving, thrice Holy God. He alone will stand faithful and true in all the malignities, difficulties, tribulations and successes of life. He is the one and only all enduring Faithful One amidst the dissolutions of our existence.

It takes faith to get guidance. Most of us have had the experience of being in a strange place, trying to find an address. Usually we stop someone and ask for information. We have faith that the stranger we ask is going to lead us to the right place. When we are making decisions about specific problems in life, we go to an expert, a doctor, lawyer, or banker and trust them to give us the right counsel.