Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

Don’t consider yourself to be wise; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones.   Proverbs 3:7-8 HCSB

When someone lies to me, I’m not sure whether they think they are so smart or they think I am so stupid. I actually think it’s both. But I must admit that the part about it that I hate is that when someone lies to me, it’s obvious that they think I’m dumb enough to believe their lies even when they make no sense at all.

Let’s face it, there are people on this planet that are wise in certain areas about certain things. There are those that are not so wise. I’m a people watcher and I have observed that those who consider themselves wise and have found that many of them are not so bright. Allow me to explain.

If you are saved and you realize that you are a blood bought child of God, then you realize that anything you have comes from Him including any smarts He gave you. But, if you are lost then you think that you are pretty smart and that you got this way on your own. I know that this leads to trouble because I have been there, done that and got the t-shirt. Now those that use their God given wisdom are given discernment to make much better decisions. Those that rely on their own wisdom, well, not so much.

Math was never my best subject, so I have always been impressed by someone who can have this equation that appears to be a mile long set in front of them and solve it with little effort. But I have seen people that can do that and then turn around and make life decisions that make no sense whatsoever. Seems odd, right? Well, not really, you see these people are wise in some areas, but they are totally ignorant in the ways of God. They leave God out of their important decision making.

The interesting thing here is that since I completed school, I have never been asked to solve one of those equations that spread across the page. However, I have been called on to make some pretty big life decisions. And let me say that when I turned to God and trusted in Him to guide me, I have made very good decisions. He has never steered me wrong. But there have been times in my life when I have struck out on my own and my decisions have led to disastrous consequences.

You see, if I don’t stay in really close relationship with God, I start to mistake the wisdom He gives for wisdom that I just possess on my own.  Huge mistake! But, when I maintain that close relationship with God through Bible study and prayer, I can rely on Him. I am thinking about Him in all my ways and acknowledging Him in each decision I must make. He is guiding me on the right paths.

There have been times in my life when I thought I was pretty smart. Boy, did I prove myself wrong. I made some dumb decisions. I left God out of the decision making process and I paid a heavy price. I may be a slow learner, but I have discovered that His word is true. When I acknowledge Him in all that I do, He leads me on the right path.

I have also learned that even when it seems as though the path is rocky that He is leading me to greener pastures (Psalm 23). He is protecting me (Psalm 91) and most importantly, He is working all things for my good and His glory (Romans 8:28-30).

If you are making decisions and leaving God out of the process because you figure you are pretty smart and you can go it alone, you are literally on the highway to Hell, my friend. It will only go downhill from here. I am telling you this from experience.

But know that it is not too late to get on the right path. Trust in God, lean on Him, allow Him to guide you in all that you do. There is a reason that they call those that don’t trust in Him, lost. Think about that one for a minute.

Have a great day!