Recently we had our first snow fall of this winter. Eight or nine inches of beautiful snow.
It’s also cold and icy but as I sat looking at it, through the warmth of my home and under a blanket, it was beautiful.
Whiteness blanketed the trees, the grass, and our entire yard.
The blanket of snow feels like such a gift. It’s like God saying, “I have the whole world covered. I can take care of it all!”
And just like that, His peace filled my heart and mind. The words from the verses I had read earlier began to come back to my thoughts, and my eyes returned to my Bible still opened beside me.
“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.”
(Proverbs 3:5-8, NIV)
Such familiar verses, committed to memory, often recalled, and yet this morning they fell as fresh as the snow outside.
The stresses of the last two weeks have hit family and friends hard. Going to work, having to make decisions on how to keep those around us safe, and hearing of the needs of others all can bear down on our tender hearts more than we even realize.
Sitting quietly in the early morning light, I wondered how we are to handle these days, and in response, He brought those Scriptures.
- We are to trust Him. Keep remembering God has been faithful in the past and will continue to be so. He cannot be anything other.
- We are not to lean on our own understanding. We can be so prone to seek understanding and wisdom from all sorts of sources. While books, experts, and even people we may trust can bring wonderful information, we must rely on guidance from God.
- We are to be teachable. God will make our paths straight, one step at a time. Remember He has brought you thus far. Remember the decisions He has led you to make. Remember the insight and understanding He has given. And stick with it.
Trust Him.
Lean on Him.
Follow Him.
“This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”
In a recent post, Mary Geisen’s words resonated with me: “If we become better listeners, we are able to shine our light for Jesus and become truth-tellers for those around us.” You can read her words HERE.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
Sometimes we just have to go back to basics, don’t we? That passage is one that most Christians probably learn early on, but it’s so foundational. We have such a tendency to fret or to want to work things out the way we think best. We need to continually pull back from our understanding and trust His wisdom, love, and care.
I am finding myself doing just that lately – going back to basics; and it has been such an encouragement to my heart.
It’s always wonderful to gather here, and I was so pleased to hear from Mary, too!
I agree, Joanne. In these crazy times we really need to remember more than ever who covers the whole earth with his beauty and goodness. Even when chaos seems to be in charge, it’s not.
I’m so thankful that He covers us, Joanne!
There are times when we don’t need to speak. We need to listen. God speaks to us in the noise and in the quiet.
Beautiful piece, Joanne. Your imagery and insight made my heart peaceful. Knowing the Lord has us covered like a blanket of snow, helps us trust His goodness for our tomorrows.
Thank you, Joanne for this moment to sit and breathe. How lovely to rest in His perfect care and know He embraces us with His peace! Good reminders for trusting Him. So often the more pressing needs of the day crowd out the best choices!
I love those verses from Proverbs. Such simple truths in one way. Not always so easy to put into practice, but very powerful when we do!
Trust was my word last year and rest – as in resting in Him – is this year. This is a very timely message for me.
Great post! I loved your words, “God will make our paths straight, one step at a time.” The part about one step at a time got my attention since I always want to see way down around the bend.
But really our journey Home is just that: one step at a time.
Amen! Resting in His promises even when we don’t understand is a peace that surpasses all earthly explanations.
Joanne, especially in times with so many unknowns, with so much fear trying to creep into our hearts and thoughts, we must remember Who God is. When we choose to trust Him, man we can find so much peace. Thanks for sharing this!
Joanne, I’ve read and quoted Proverbs 3:5-6 many times but I don’t think I ever paid much attention to the next two verses: “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.” I know that health and nourishment are not guaranteed, but my goodness. I will be pondering this for a while, and also sharing it with my girls. 🙂