◄ What Does Proverbs 3:6 Mean? ►

Some years ago, I discovered a truth that removed forever any concerns I had about God's will for my life, which path to take, which direction to follow, which decision to choose. Some years ago, I discovered a principle that I have proved to be true on many occasions. It all comes back to acknowledging Him in everything - trusting Him in every eventuality of life.

When the eyes of our heart are focused on the Lord Jesus Christ, in love, and all we desire is to know Him more, and to please Him in everything we do, then it matters not which path you take, for He will be there leading you, and He will be there guiding you, no matter what path you choose.

This simple truth is written clearly in Proverbs 3:6, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight - He will direct your path - He will guide you in the way to go." To acknowledge the Lord is to know Him and to have intimate fellowship with Him. It is to trust what He says, believe His Word and obey what He commands us to do. It is to abide in Him and depend upon Him alone. It is to walk in spirit and truth, to grow in grace, to be ready to listen to His guiding voice and to follow His lead. 

We are not simply to afford Him an occasional glance or only turn to Him in times of crisis or distress. We are not to ignore Him when things are going well, or wander away from Him when someone more interesting comes along! We are not to keep Him boxed up until we are on the way to a Church meeting. We are to acknowledge Him at all times, under all circumstances, and in all our ways, whether pleasant or difficult, joyous or distressing. We are to develop a Christocentric perspective, in all we say, and do, and think, and are.

Too often we forget this proverb. Too often we acknowledge ourselves in all our ways and direct our own paths, causing ourselves to stumble because we forgot to acknowledge Him in ALL our ways and call out to Him in times of trouble... and all too often it is a crisis that we ourselves have caused. But human self-sufficiency and fleshly self-dependence is not what God wants to develop in us. He wants us to develop a Christlike dependence on Him. He wants us to acknowledge Him in all our ways - in the same way that Christ said and did only those things He heard from the Father.

He wants us to develop a total reliance on Himself. He wants us to trust Him with an undivided heart that seeks HIM alone. He does not want a heart that is only interested in God's blessings. Acknowledging Him in all our ways, means to take note of His instructions in the Word of God and to apply each principle to our own life - not in a legalistic way but simply because we love Him and choose to acknowledge Him in all things.

This simple truism in the book of Proverbs does much more than express a life-truth or teach a nice lesson. It is a divine promise, that is revealed elsewhere in Scripture. It is a conditional promise that contains an element of human obligation. God will lead and guide us in the best way possible when we acknowledge Him in all our ways - putting Him first, and trusting Him, even when we don't understand. We are to abide by HIS will and His conditions, for God will only meet us on HIS terms and not on ours.

There are many ways that God can make our paths straight when we acknowledge Him in all our ways. He may use the advice of other Christians or bring a verse of Scripture to our notice. He may permit His inner peace to flood our heart and mind as we keep our eyes looking to Him. He may allow converging circumstances to bring about the right conclusion and He may take time to make our way straight, or He may direct our path instantaneously. As we acknowledge Him in all things, He will direct our path in His ways and at His time, for our eternal benefit and for His greater glory.

If it is our desire that God will make our path straight, He is to be acknowledged in all things, and in every area of life. It is not in one way, or some ways, or many ways, or most ways that we are to acknowledge the Lord. We are charged to acknowledge Him in all our ways. And when the eyes of our hearts are fixed on Jesus and He is the focal point of our soul in all things, then we find that He truly is directing our path in the best possible direction.

When our love for Him becomes the single, central longing of our hearts then it matters not which way we choose to take, for we will find that He is there leading, directing and communing with us - in love.

Loving Father it is the desire of my heart to acknowledge You in every way, because I love You. Thank You that You are with me to lead and direct in all life's decisions and to plant my feet on the straight pathway. I pray that not only in the difficult times but in every situation of life, I would acknowledge You. In ALL circumstances and at all times, I pray that I will keep the eyes of my heart fixed firmly on Jesus, to Whom be all praise and glory, AMEN.