“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 straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV, emphasis added).
What does it mean to acknowledge God in all our ways? The New Living Translation reads, “Seek his will in all you do.” It’s an intentional pursuit, not something that happens overnight.
The word used in the old text is yada, which means to know relationally or to be aware, knowing what to do with respect to God (Key Word Study Bible, 1732). In other words, to know God’s will in our lives, we must know him relationally.
This also relates to a time when David gave his son, Solomon, some great advice – to seek God with his whole heart and a willing mind (1 Chronicles 28:9, ESV). He went on to finish the verse by telling Solomon that “The Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought.” 1 Samuel 16:7 also speaks of this concept when the Lord tells Samuel that He and man see differently: “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” In short, a person’s actions flow from the heart, where our inward moral and spiritual life stems, which is why it is vital to seek God with our whole heart.
Solomon faithfully built the temple but did not serve God wholeheartedly during his reign (1 Kings 11:4). This reminds me a Psalmist’s plea for a cleansed heart after turning away from God: “Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10). This heartfelt prayer reflects genuine repentance. Such a heart longs for a renewed awareness of God’s presence, aiming to restore the joy and gladness that come from being in God’s presence, as noted in the ESV Study notes.
Thankfully, through Christ, we are faultless before the throne of grace (Jude 1:24). Still, that doesn’t mean we don’t fall short and need repentance that brings us closer to God so we can experience that joy and peace and therefore, know Him more intimately, which in turn, helps us understand His will for us more clearly.
All aspects come together—God’s love for us and His wish to be in a relationship with us— help us in trusting Him with our next move, even when we don’t know where it will lead.
The foundation for making God-honoring decisions in everyday life is a relationship with our Creator, built on reverence and awe for God Himself. This is reflected in the verse: “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7 NLT, emphasis added). In this context, ‘fear’ signifies respect and awe. It also recognizes that all knowledge and wisdom stem from complete dependence on God, fostering humility and discouraging pride. It is more than just an attitude – it represents a way of life that acknowledges God’s power and authority, as well as our accountability to Him (Prov. 3:7; 15:33, NLT Study Notes).
Let’s transform these verses into a grateful prayer to God, affirming our trust in Him, our effort to align with His will in all things, and our thankfulness that He guides us.
Decision-making has always come as a challenge in my life. I think it stemmed from being a people-pleaser. I often made the wrong choices over the years, some with life-altering consequences. My fears of making the wrong choices have followed me into my later years and plagued me even in simple decisions. I’ve shifted from being a people-pleaser to a perfectionist, and I’m hard on myself when a decision doesn’t go well. Something I am working on, with God’s help.
However, I only recently realized that God is using my difficult circumstances to teach me better decision-making. Sometimes it seems like He’s pushing me, but maybe that’s just my stubbornness showing. To flip the script, I started thanking God for helping me. Even though it is painful and challenging, I trust Him with my whole heart and know it is a much-needed spiritual growth spurt that will help me in all aspects of life.
Not so ironically, I had been praying for God to help me make wise, godly decisions with confidence that align with God’s will. I ask for this not only in major decisions, but also in my daily life, whether personal or business-related. God answers prayers. The answers often come in strange ways – at least to us – because our understanding is clouded while we are going through it. But in the end, God makes it worth it and shapes our character through it.
The lesson is about decision-making. In every decision, I now pause, pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide me. Intentional prayer is crucial. There’s always time to pray, even if it’s just a quick ‘help me, Holy Spirit.’ Preparing beforehand is essential to facing challenges, and making daily life choices involves seeking God’s will and requesting wisdom early on, before a situation arises.
I’m still learning, but with daily practice, it becomes a natural response to any decision.
Faith Walk Ministries, Inc. 