Sunday Scripture: Proverbs

Lately, my mind has been racing continuously. Spinning with thoughts. Excited for future possibilities, opportunities. Nervous about making decisions that need to be made, soon. Fearful of making a wrong turn. Analyzing. Overanalyzing. Awake at night, when I should be sound asleep.

A little over a month ago, I received my copy of The Best Yes in the mail. Excited doesn’t even begin to describe my desire to read this. The book couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time. At the tail-end of heaping stress, over-commitment, and exhaustion, and at the beginning of a much-needed two-week break.

Unfortunately, this past week was the first presented opportunity to open its pages. But luckily, the words I read, when the chance arrived, were exactly what I needed to “hear” at this time. Two-thirds of the way through, and its pages are carefully creased with dog-ears, bookmarking those words which I hold my close to my heart. And yesterday, as I picked back up where I had left off in my reading, days before, I met the p.e.r.f.e.c.t. in-the-moment scripture. Enveloping the peace-of-mind I had been missing for months, during this time of “soul-searching”…

“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.” (~Proverbs 3:5-6)

Wow. The mind is a powerful, but also sometimes detrimental and misleading entity. It can lead us to utter tranquility, immediately followed by a ferocious storm; all embedded within the same train of thought. A might whirlwind. And that’s just it. To some extent, we can control our contemplations, beliefs and fears. But, what we should not be doing is solely relying on ourselves, or even those around us, to guide us through the greatest uncertainties in life. No, sweet friends…”lean not on your own understanding…”.

Lysa Terkeurst continues, in later pages, to share a quote from Matthew Henry, a Welsh minister, that really offers the perfect perspective: “God is displeased when He is distrusted, and when an arm of flesh is relied on, more than His power and goodness. It is foolish to lean on a broken reed, when we have the Rock of ages to rely upon.” I really can’t think of anything or anyone I would rather lean upon than a steadfast, unmoving, almighty “Rock of all ages.” Incredible.

The entire preface of Terkeurst’s book is to offer meaningful evaluation and guidance to people-pleasing, overanalyzing women (reality check, ahem…) most especially, in grappling with decision-making and the accompanying mental tug-o-wars that weigh so heavily upon our hearts. Choices v.e.r.y. m.u.c.h. like those which I am questioning at this very time in my own life.

And now, although the answers are not seamlessly laid out before my very eyes, I have the perfect roadmap and tool to guide me through it all. Scripture. Filled with words of wisdom that will remain deeply entrenched, not only within my whirling mind, but also carefully tucked away, hidden inside of my heart. As I work to come create a point of contentment within both realms, while striving to merge my own wishes into His path and plan for me.