Proverbs 3:5-7 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”

One sign of maturity in the life of a believer is when he is willing to admit that “you can’t trust yourself!” Peter found this to be true when he put his confidence in the arm of the flesh! Having been enlightened to the weakness of all men; “Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended” (Matthew 26:33). It was not long before Peter found the words of the Lord to be personally true; “Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man” (Matthew 26:74). David, the man after God’s own heart, found this to be true when he walked upon the roof top and saw a woman bathing; “and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her” (II Samuel 11:4). This truth is what Solomon was magnifying when he said, “lean not unto thine own understanding.” The word “lean” means to support one’s self or to rely or to trust. All of us are trusting or relying on something or someone! While we are admonished three times in the book of Proverbs to “get understanding” (4:5, 4:7, 16:16), the important thing to remember is the source from which that understanding comes. Reject the kind of wisdom and knowledge that originated in self so that you might embrace that which flows from the Sovereign! When it comes to the course of life and all the actions that are associated with it, Solomon encourages us to acquire a wisdom that only comes through seeing and being personally acquainted with the LORD. This kind of relationship promises guidance that guarantees the right kind of results! While it is true that you can’t trust yourself, you can trust the Spirit, the Scriptures, and the Saviour!