Trust in the Lord: A Life-Changing Promise | Philip Lyndon-Jones

My Life Verse Journey

Over the summer, we've been exploring life verses, and today I'm sharing the verse that has anchored my faith for 35 years. When I was 14 years old and publicly declared my faith through baptism, I received these words from Proverbs 3:5-6 as a promise:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

For some of you, these might be completely new words. For others, they're as familiar as your morning coffee—cross-stitched on pillows, printed on mugs and t-shirts. At Big Church weekend recently, I was amazed by the number of people wearing verse t-shirts. I almost wondered if I was actually a Christian since I didn't have one on!

But here's what matters: these verses have been foundational in my life for 35 years. I've never bought the mug or the t-shirt, but as you can see in my old teenage Bible, I've underlined them, returned to them, and held onto them through every season. This heavy Bible that I thought made me look more godly as a teenager—these pages contain promises I've clung to again and again.

The Power of God's Promises

The Bible contains approximately 31,102 verses, and author Herbert Lockyer identified over 8,000 promises within them. That's roughly 22 promises for each day of the year.

If you don't have a life verse, if you're not claiming God's promises, it's time to start. Look at God's Word and claim a verse for your life. If you received a verse years ago, dust it off, look at it again, and see what God is saying to you now.

Understanding Proverbs: More Than One-Liners

The book of Proverbs is unique in Scripture. One commentator said reading through Proverbs is like trying to have a conversation with someone who always replies with one-liners. That's fine for a quick chat, but imagine having a coffee or meal with them—it can be challenging!

These one-liners in Proverbs centre around gaining godly wisdom and living it out. In the first twelve verses of Proverbs 3, we find principles and promises for those seeking to live a godly life:

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." (Proverbs 3:1-12 NIV)

Verses 5 and 6 are foundational—everything hinges on these nuggets. Solomon shows us who to trust, how to trust, and the promises for those who put these words into practice.

Who Can You Trust?

You might be here today asking, "Who can I trust?" Maybe an experience has left you feeling let down, even by God. Our trust levels vary—some have no trust, feeling disappointed by past experiences. Others trust intermittently when everything's going well, but abandon faith the moment challenges arise. Some trust God but keep a backup plan just in case.

Solomon encourages 100% trust in the Lord. In Hebrew, "Lord" is Yahweh. In Exodus 3, God declared "I am who I am," communicating that He is all-sufficient, eternal, infinite, promise-making, and promise-keeping.

As Psalm 25:3 says: "No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame."

Looking back over my life, He hasn't disappointed me. That doesn't mean I've been skipping through life without challenges, but He hasn't disappointed me.

What Does Trust Look Like?

The word "trust" in verse 5 means to lay helpless, to lay face down at the mercy of another. It's the soldier standing before his victorious general, the servant waiting for the master's command.

This trust is:

• Allegiance and loyalty: "God, I am for you and you alone"

• Submission: Surrendering to the God of all creation without reservation

• Confidence: No matter what comes, "if God is for us, who can be against us?"

• Assurance: He is faithful and will do what He promised

Trust is a wholehearted commitment requiring daily choice. It's not a once-in-a-lifetime decision but a commitment we make every day, in every moment—in daily routines, at work, in college, everywhere.

Trusting With All Your Heart

Solomon says trust "with all your heart." In the Old Testament, the heart was considered the centre of mind, will, and emotions. We're to trust God with all our feelings, thoughts, and decisions.

Sometimes our emotions get in the way. Yesterday, my son Noah's football team beat a team they hadn't defeated in years. When they scored the final goal, there was a pitch invasion—my emotions took over because it was such a monumental moment. But when emotions drive our decisions, we put ourselves in vulnerable positions.

When religious leaders asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, He said: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

You don't need to learn a technique or follow a formula. Simply choose to trust with all your heart. By doing so, we build our lives on Christ, our cornerstone, declaring that God will meet all our needs. As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:19: "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

If you're low on trust, feeling perplexed or overwhelmed, remember Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

Lean Not on Your Own Understanding

Another way to put this: don't rely on unreliable substitutes. What are you relying on today? Your own strength, giftings, abilities? Coffee to get through the day? Technology and ChatGPT for assignments?

We rely so heavily on the internet—when it goes down, there's a crisis. Our phones have countless apps, some linked to watches that tell us when to move, stand, exercise, sleep, even breathe. We're relying on unreliable substitutes.

The word "lean" means to rest upon something for support. When feeling unsteady, you reach out for something to lean on. Solomon lovingly encourages us: put all your weight on God.

The Mattress Analogy

When we went camping at Big Church weekend (which was a test of our marriage—we're not campers!), I kept waking up missing my mattress. When we got home, I loved leaning back into that mattress. There's that sigh of relief, isn't there?

That's what Solomon wants us to do—lean on the Lord, rely on Him and His understanding.

At the end of each day, I use an app called Lectio 365 for devotions. It says: "As I enter prayer now, I pause to be still, to breathe slowly, to recenter my scattered senses upon the presence of God." That's leaning on the Lord.

The Danger of Our Own Understanding

With our understanding, we analyze situations, break them down, and make decisions. In these moments, I'm prone to ask God to rubber stamp what I want rather than seeking what He wants. We say, "God, we've got this. We'll come back if it doesn't work out." We're prone to praying "our will be done," not His.

If we're serious about making wise decisions, we must fight against the inclination to think we know best. This doesn't mean abandoning common sense or intellect, but it means not leaning on our understanding for total support.

Proverbs 14:12 warns: "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death."

Proverbs encourages seeking counsel from trusted, godly people. Proverbs 15:22 says: "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

When seeking advisers, don't go to people who'll tell you what you want to hear. Go to those who'll challenge you. Sometimes we have tunnel vision, thinking our way is the only way, and we miss God's blessings and opportunities.

In All Your Ways, Submit to Him

"In all your ways submit to him" or acknowledge him. This isn't a suggestion; it's a command. We acknowledge Him in everything, not just on Sundays, but in every day, every moment.

The word "acknowledge" carries the idea of intimate communion, describing a marriage relationship. In everything you do, make sure you know the Lord. That knowing comes by walking with Him, spending time with Him, having a life verse you return to when facing life's situations.

Author Max Lucado wrote about Frank Lorbak, who decided to live in a distinct awareness of God. Frank wrote in his diary: "Can we have that contact with God all the time? Can we do his will all the time? Can we think his thoughts all the time? Can I bring the Lord back into my mindflow every few seconds, so that God shall always be on my mind?"

Frank concluded: "I choose to make the rest of my life an experiment in answering that question."

I challenge us: Does God have access to all areas of your life? Let's give Him access and see Him at work in your life's events. God is at work in your life.

Allow God to Take the Lead

The biggest lesson I've learned over 35 years is this: allow God to take the lead in your life.

In ancient Israel, people travelled by foot over hilly, rocky terrain. Some paths were very difficult, roads zigzagged between hills, making journeys longer. This is a great picture of our lives—our personal journeys take us up mountains one moment, into valleys the next. We can be on smooth roads one day, hitting washed-out roads full of potholes the next.

But when you trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your understanding, and acknowledge Him, He will make your path straight. God is pulling out all the stops for you. He's committed to you, leading and guiding you, with your best interests at heart.

Isaiah 45:2 promises: "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight."

For some of you today, you need to hear that God is going before you, and He will make the crooked places straight.

A Prayer of Surrender

Lord, we love you. In this moment, I encourage you to give the Lord every area of your life. Surrender every area. Consider what's important to you, consider your priorities, and surrender them to the Lord.

It says trust in the Lord, and maybe some of us need to do that again: "God, I am trusting in you."

If that's you today, surrender to the Lord by raising your hands and saying, "Lord, I am trusting you."

We commit our situations to you, Lord. For those on the mountaintop, for those in valleys, wherever you may be today, surrender it to the Lord now.

Father, thank you that you promised to make the crooked path straight. For those needing that today, would you do it now? Would you make the path straight and clear? Would you direct? Father, we ask you to take the lead in Jesus' name. Amen.