The Bible warns us to not lean upon our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Even when we think we totally understand what’s going on, we should not lean upon our understanding. What seems so right to us can turn out to be so wrong. The Bible states it this way:
“There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12, NASB).
The verse above underscores our amazing ability to be deceived. That’s why it’s not good for us to rely upon our own understanding. Instead, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6, KJV).
What It Means to Acknowledge God in All Your Ways
So, what does it mean to acknowledge Him in all your ways? Some believers seem to think that simply kneeling down and telling God what their intentions are constitutes acknowledging Him. The premise is that God rubber stamps whatever we say to Him in prayer.
But to acknowledge Him in all your ways means more than that. We acknowledge Him by evaluating our plans in terms of His Word. We acknowledge Him by praying to know His will in the matter. And by a willingness to make changes in our plans, when necessary, to bring our intentions in line with His will for us.
How God Directs Our Paths
When we acknowledge God in all that we do, He promises in His Word to direct our paths. That does not mean He is going to shine a guiding light from heaven for us to follow. Or that we will hear an audible speaking to us.
God’s main ways of directing our paths is through His Word and the Holy Spirit. He can also direct our paths through dreams and visions.
At times, we may not be able to discern that He is directing our path when He is. But we don’t need to. We just need to trust that He will do as He promised. Remember, we walk by faith and not by sight.
When God directs our path, our way will be much more blessed than it is when we lean to our own understanding. His perspective is far superior to ours. We tend to be near-sighted, driven by what we can immediately see. But God can see down the road, around the corner, through the years, etc. He directs us accordingly.
So, what are your current plans? Make it a habit to acknowledge Him in all your ways.
God wants to be a part of our plans. After all, we were bought with a price. We don’t live for ourselves; we live for Him. He has not empowered us to do what’s right in our own eyes. Neither should we want to. Remember, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
Copyright © 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.