Verse of the Day Devotion: Proverbs 3:6 

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:6          

Many times, when we are going through difficult situations, we cry out to God to help us.  We know we cannot get through these times in our own strength.  We get anxious and worried about how this will end.  Because of this, we pray and ask God to bring us out of these circumstances and lead us to the other side.

However, when things are going well, how often do we pray and ask God to lead us in the direction He calls us to go?  According to our focus verse, it should be always.  It tells us in all our ways acknowledge Him.  This basically means to know who He is; our God, Lord and King and proceed accordingly.  We are to set Him before us.  We are to trust Him in all things, and no matter what, we are to go in the ways He calls.  Note the previous verse.  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”  Proverbs 3:5.  We are not to be half-hearted in our trust, for He always has what’s best for us in mind.  “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Roman 8:28.  Sometimes, it does not appear to us that it will end to our good, but this is what He has promised and therefore we can accept it and live as such.

There is an example in the Book of Acts where Paul had an idea where he wanted to go, however, he heard from the Lord and followed His ways instead.  “And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” Acts 16:6-10.  What Paul wanted to do was not a bad thing because he wanted to share the gospel with the people in Bithynia, and probably in Asia as well.  However, this was not what God had laid out for Paul.  And Paul accepted His leading and walked the straight path set before him.

We are doing the work of God; therefore we should do the work He calls us to do in the way He tells us to do it.  Maybe we want to go to the Hawaii to minister, however, God may want to send us to Cleveland, OH.  Are we open to His leading?  We may want to preach every Sunday in a little country church; however, God may want us to go to the gangs of New York and witness to their members.  (This refers to the ministry of David Wilkerson as described in his book “The Cross and the Switchblade”, which I encourage everyone to read.  We must understand that we are not to do what we want in ministry but do what He wants in ministry. 

We must acknowledge Him as our lord and do the work He has called us to do and not usurp His place and decide ourselves what we are to do.  This is where prayer comes into play.  We are to call upon Him for guidance and then listen for His response, after which we move forward on the straight path He has prepared for us. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

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