bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not ALL his benefits.
Psalm 103:1, 2
I'm learning to lean on Jesus.
Finding more power than I’d ever dreamed...
I’m learning to lean on Jesus.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 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. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Proverbs 3:3-8.Mercy AND Truth
Our scripture text for today starts out with one of the most basic lessons for success in life. If you REALLY want to know "how to win friends and influence people", here's the equation: Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God AND man.
You know, we are real quick to "tell it like it is" to others, aren't we? But we forget the "mercy" part of that verse, don't we? Do you know what "mercy" is? Compassion. When we "dole out" the truth to folks, are we doing it with a measure of mercy? If we are truly honest with ourselves, we would admit that in most cases, we measure out "the truth" (as we see it) with belligerence and arrogance. Yet we are instructed to "let not mercy AND truth forsake thee..." Mercy is compassion: empathy, sympathy, humbleness in spirit towards another. The truth is still THE TRUTH if whispered or spoken through tears. So if you want to find favor and good understanding with mankind AND God, do not abandon mercy AND truth.
Our scripture text tells us, Trust in The LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Why do we have such a problem "learning to lean" on Jesus? Our problems all stem from the fact we are willing to trust in everything else BUT God. Our own solutions, or any number of chemicals, theories, therapies, religions, this scheme or that "get rich quick" plan... yet we are told to Trust in the Lord with ALL thine heart; and lean not unto thine OWN understanding.
We don't like that! Usually our first inclination is, "Well, I'll just handle that!" And handle it we do--in most cases, to our own detriment. When something goes wrong in our lives, our response is either "fight or flight". We don't pour our hearts out to God. It never occurs to us to Be still, and know that I am God... Psalm 46:10. We set out on a course of retaliation (fight): "You did that to me, so I'll do this to you!" Yet we are told, by the Lord Himself, to ...pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you... (Matthew 5:44). No, it's NOT the easy way--the easy way is to "get back at" or "get even with" someone. To do as our Lord has instructed us means we have to crucify old self--we cannot give in to our "instincts", our "first inclinations".
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48.Even if our first inclination is not to "get back at" or "get even with" someone who has wronged us, we still don't Trust in the Lord with ALL thine heart; and lean not unto thine OWN understanding. We've "been hurt" and if we don't rise up in vengeance and retaliation, we go into a "flight mode"--spiralling downward into the abyss of depression and self-pity, seeking escape through chemicals or drugs. This isn't the Lord's way for us, either!
I want you to understand one thing. I want to make one thing VERY CLEAR to you. Get ready to be stunned--it's a real shocker: E-V-E-R-Ybody will fall short and E-V-E-R-Ything will [eventually] break down--BUT God. I said, everybody will fall short and everything will fail you, at some point or another, BUT God. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof....The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Psalm 46:1-3, 7. The promises of God are "yea and amen" (yes and so be it) to them that believe. He is PERFECT in ALL His ways--He is 100% correct, 100% of the time, whether we like it and agree with Him or not!
It is the "leaning unto our OWN understanding" that is EXACTLY why there is so much division in the Body of Christ, today! Instead of us learning to lean on Jesus, instead of us seeking after Him, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way... Isaiah 53:6. And far too many of us continue in "our OWN way". ...They all look to their own way, every one for his gain... Isaiah 56:11. That's why we cannot worship together in "unity of Spirit"--we lean unto our own understanding! And that's exactly how we wind up with so much confusion, unhappiness, depression in our lives--instead of us "learning to lean" on Jesus--we lean unto our OWN understanding and get in trouble, every single time.
I want you to turn with me to Proverbs 1, and start reading with me at verse 23:
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. Proverbs 1:23-33.Let me tell you why it's such a problem for us to lean on Jesus: it's called misplaced dependency. We hit a bit of corduroy road, and instead of us dealing honestly with ourselves, examining what we contributed to the situation and making things right with man and God, instead of pouring ourselves out to Jesus, instead of us turning to the Lord and trusting in Him with ALL our hearts, we run for the nearest doctor (for depression) or the nearest lawyer (for retaliation). Our own logic fails us and we entrust our well-being to those who wouldn't give us a glance if we didn't pay them to!
That's not to say there aren't times we shouldn't seek medical attention or legal counsel--certainly, we will have those times. But as we mature in our knowledge of God, through prayer and study, we can begin to discern those times that we need to just Be still, and know that I am God... (Psalm 46:10), and thus, have far less confusion and chaos in our lives.
"God, I Just Don't Understand..." Have you ever said that? I have, many times. Now I want you to be honest with yourself: have you ever noticed that those very words, "God, I just don't understand..........." are almost always followed by a period of FULL STOP, in our spiritual lives? Think back to the last time you were in a situation you "didn't understand". One of your friends turned on you or away from you. A sudden, devastating illness showed up. An unexpected expense wiped out all your "rainy day fund". Without any warning, you were dismissed from your job. Your husband (or wife) decided their plans for life didn't include you any more? Somebody you've never done any harm starts a chain of lies on you? "God, I just don't understand............."
What did you do? Did this event draw you closer to God, or did you begin to shut yourself off from Him? Did you become bitter and resentful, looking around at others and wondering why they "had it so good" and there you were, not knowing if you were going to make it through another day or not? On whom did you lean? Did you pray and ask for God's guidance, or was it the old "fight or flight" syndrome? Was it "I'll get even!" or did you escape through some kind of mind-numbing drug?
Do you find it kind of strange that we never question the Lord's goodness to us when we are on the mountaintops? Let me tell you why we have such trouble learning to lean in the valleys. It's because we REFUSE to In ALL thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths when we are on those mountaintops! When we have meat and gravy on the table, we aren't at all worried about "learning to lean", are we? We don't need God then--He's 'way out there somewhere, taking care of something else at the time. No need of "bothering Him", not even with our thanks! We completely forget, In ALL thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Read it again--does it say, "only when the way gets rough" acknowledge him? Nope, it says very clearly, In ALL thy ways.... So my question to you today is, if you are doing something through which you cannot acknowledge God, should you be doing it?
The last two verses of our scripture text tell us, Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Proverbs 3:7,8. The Living Bible puts those two verses this way: "Don't be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead, trust and reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality." The NIV tells us, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."
Even when we do turn to God and cry out for a solution to the problems in our lives, when He begins to make those needed changes, we balk, don't we? Come on now, let's be honest with ourselves today. "Well, I don't know why this is happening..." We want it all on our own terms, don't we? Yet our way hasn't worked, has it, and thus we've implored the Lord to "do something", but when He starts "doing it", because He didn't give us advance notice, or "run it by us for our opinion", we balk, Amen? In Romans 5:3-5, Paul wrote, ...we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
I want you to understand something today: it is because of Jesus that we have entry into the "inner court" of God--it is because of Jesus that we can go BOLDLY before the Throne of Grace, ...that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) Yet, because we are "wise in our own eyes", we are quick to run in every direction but the ONE that IS our "hiding place"--that wonderful Throne of Grace. It IS on Jesus that we can lean--if we have to collapse into anyone's arms, His are the arms to catch us!
Paul then went on there in Romans 5 to remind us that those who FOLLOWED Christ were truly "up against it". He said, "Trouble produces fortitude." The word he used for "trouble" was thlipsis, which literally means "pressure". It's still true, today! And that's why so many who PROFESS to be "Christians" (as in FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST) today are "Christians" in NAME ONLY: they are not willing to undergo trials. We think we have it tough if we can't drive a new car every year, go to our desired vacation spot, have the most modern house in our area of town, or wear the lastest, most popular name brand clothing. You let a trial or some kind of upset come along in our lives, and instead of us turning to God, instead of us studying His Word to gain a greater understanding of His Will for our lives, we "lean unto our own understanding" and through our OWN wisdom, seek our own solutions.
I want you to understand something, my friends: if you are COMMITTED to Christ, you have an enemy who seeks to devour you. He will do all he can, through whatever or whomever he can, to keep you from experiencing victory in your life. All kinds of things will press in upon us as we "walk this way" with Jesus: want and straitened circumstances, sorrow, persecution, unpopularity and loneliness.
Yet it is those very "pressures" that Paul said produces fortitude. The word he used for fortitude was hupomone which means "more than mere endurance". It is that which does not passively endure, but that which actively overcomes the trials and tribulations of life. I ask you, through Whom are we overcomers? Who are we following? Is whomever/ whatever we are "leaning on" able to give us the power, the strength, the fortitude to overcome that which comes against us?
Paul said, "Fortitude produces character." The word he used for "character" was dokime, which means "metal which has been passed through the fire so that everything base has been purged out of it". It is used of coinage as we use the word sterling. When affliction is met with "fortitude", out of the battle a person emerges stronger, and purer, and wiser, and nearer God.
Paul then said, "Character produces hope." The trials of life, those which can be described as "passing through a fire", produces hope. How many of us have known two people in similar circumstances: one despairs while the other emerges through triumphant action? One sees adversity as the end of hope, while the other sees it as a challenge to greatness. Those who have allowed themselves to become weak and flabby, letting "circumstances" beat them down, whining and groveling under affliction, can do nothing but despair when a crisis arises, just like the person who has allowed themselves to become sedentary in their physical lifestyle cannot run with the endurance of a person who has kept themselves in good physical form, by diet and exercise.
Since the day I made Jesus my King.
His blessed Holy Spirit is leading my way...
He’s teaching and I’m learning to lean.
Paul wasn't worried about his future as he readied himself to go to Jerusalem: And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But NONE of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:22-24. See, WE insist upon the "know" before we "go". Not Paul--he KNEW in Whom He had believed! He was determined, through the power of the Holy Ghost and the love he had for the Lord Jesus Christ, to ...finish my course with joy... He knew how, on Whom to lean! And it was because he knew how, and on Whom to lean, that he could ...finish my course with joy...
You, too, can have that same joy--that same determination, that same strength that gives you the power to finish your course! Lean on Jesus:
I found His peace so serene.
He helps me with each task if only I’ll ask...
Every day now I’m learning to lean.
"Learning To Lean" (article only) Copyright © 2003 by Patricia Sikes.
All Rights Reserved.
Written by John Stallings
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