Leaning Fully

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

I love this verse. It always renews my mind. But it’s challenging...and convicting. There’s so much in this verse that brings me out of my comfort zone. Trusting the Lord means leaning on Him, completely!

Imagine that you’re on the very top step of a ladder that’s propped up against a brick wall. There’s probably no doubt in your mind that the wall is going to stay right where it is. You know that. But you’ll doubt the ladder. It’s wobbly. It could easily fall one way or another or even straight backwards if it’s not fully leaning onto the wall. Without the wall there to hold it up, the ladder can't function alone.

We’re the same way. We're the ladder and God is the sturdy brick wall that we have to lean on in order to stay up and stay straight.

Something that I’ve realized about myself and other believers around me is that we tend to be control freaks. In church, we talk about trusting God to provide, but how can we see God provide when we’re trying our best to be self-sufficient? We attempt to be independent and build up our safety nets for the “just in case” moments instead of stewarding ourselves, our gifts, and our possessions in a way that reveals God’s faithfulness. Instead of truly leaning, truly depending on God to hold us up, we’ve taken life into our own hands and simply assume that God has blessed the works we’ve done in our own strength.

The truth is that no matter how much we think we've done, if we aren't doing what God has called us to, then we've really gotten nowhere at all. John 15:5 says, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." When it says that without Him, you can do nothing, I don't think that's just meant to be taken literally. It's saying that you can do nothing that's of any worth, and I can see how that applies to my life when I'm working towards self-made goals that God hasn't set for me. I might can accomplish that goal, but what is it truly worth if I'm not pursuing what God desires?

When I was making plans for college, I had made up my mind that I was going to be a nurse. I thought that I wanted to go into the medical field, and nursing seemed to make the most money without too much schooling. In all honesty, I was pursuing something that would give me stability, so I thought, and I felt like I could provide for myself and for my family with a job like that.

While nursing would have provided for me and a family financially in this life, it was my plan, and it didn't lead me to seek God's plan in faith. In the world's standards, it was practical, sensible, and it seemed like the most logical path to take for my life.

When I began truly seeking God in my life, He showed me that I could trust Him fully. I could trust Him to lead me down a path that would both allow me to follow Him in faith AND provide for all of my needs. He revealed to me that nursing was not His plan for me, and that wasn't the calling He had placed on my life. He was calling me to teach! I wasn't sure what that would look like in my life, and I still don't know. What I do know is that whatever it looks like, if God called me to it, I can trust that He will provide for me in it. And the same goes for you too. If God calls you to something, He will provide. So, expect the miraculous to happen when God is in control!

When He calls us to something, we often can't see the road ahead. He only reveals to us the next step that He is calling us to take, and we have to have faith that He has the rest worked out. Often times, it won't initially make sense to us, and it definitely won't make sense to the world. However, that's the essence of faith, taking the step when you can't see what will come. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." I can honestly say that I didn't see the other side of any big decision that God has led me to make, but in taking those steps of faith, I got to experience God's faithfulness and KNOW that what had taken place was only by His hands and not my own.

God wants to prove Himself faithful to us. He wants to reveal Himself to us in miraculous ways. He wants to deepen our belief in Him. He wants us to give up the control, depend on Him for guidance, and walk in faith even when we can’t see what’s ahead. What God calls us to do will often seem illogical in the world’s standards simply because God is not of this world, and His ways are much higher than our ways. When we are truly and fully leaning on God, things will happen that could ONLY be explained by the hand of God.

What does it mean to lean on God?

We first have to acknowledge Him in every aspect of our lives to know what He desires for us. If He calls you to something, then trust that He can make it happen despite the circumstances you’re in that might say otherwise. God doesn't operate on this world’s logic, our financial system, or even what we can foresee in our future. When you recognize a calling, give your “yes” to Him, and take the steps of faith that He has set in your path.

Don’t fall into the same temptation that I have faced so many times of saying “if God wants me to, then He’ll make it happen.” Yes, God has the ability to do whatever He wills, and He is faithful even when we are not. However, if we are truly living out our faith, the Spirit will always lead us to follow Him, actively! That is how we experience God in our lives.

Knowing what God is asking of you and knowing how to take steps of faith begins with you following the Spirit—something that we, in our worldly understanding, can't predict or explain (John 3:8). What God may be calling you to may be something that you wouldn't have expected or planned for yourself, but God's plan is always so much greater than our own.

How will you know what God is calling you to do?

1. “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” John 16:13

God speaks to us through His Holy Spirit. Isn't it so cool that if you're a believer, the person that knows the very thoughts of God dwells inside of you? The Holy Spirit knows what God desires for us better than anyone, and He is ready and willing to reveal those desires to you.

In fact, the Bible says, "Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalms 37:4). This doesn't mean that God gives us whatever we want. It means that when we delight in Him, we begin to desire what He desires, which leads us to pursue His will. Note that these desires will glorify Him, so if you desire things that are self-seeking, you can know that it's not from God. When God speaks to you through the Spirit, He often repeats Himself. So, pay attention when a word from the Lord seems to keep coming up.

2. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

He will guide you through His Word. We were given the written word to point us back to God. He knows that we are such a forgetful people, so He inspired this love letter that reminds us of who He is and what is true. The Bible might not directly say exactly what God wants you to do in every situation, but it does reveal the heart of God in every situation that we will face in this life. God will never call you to something that goes against the scriptures. So, seek truth there.

3. “And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21)

He will give you discernment. Discernment is a result of abiding in the Spirit in a close relationship with Him. Jesus spoke in parables so that the people listening would have to go to Him for understanding. In the same way, whether we're reading scripture or hear a spoken word, in order to have true discernment, we have to go to God for understanding. He doesn't want us to simply have knowledge for the sake of knowledge. He wants us to know Him personally! So, spend time in His presence, not seeking an answer, but simply seeking Him, and His discernment will result from that.

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When we trust Him with everything we have, we get to experience God's faithfulness in our lives. If we depend on ourselves, our path will be a hard road, full of confusion and unknowns, shaky and uncertain steps. But if we will fully depend on Him, He will make our path straight before us and lead us in every step of the way. All we have to do is lean on Him!