Trusting God When I Don’t Know What’s Next - Your Nightly Scripture - October 29th
Trusting God When I Don’t Know What’s Next
Evening Scripture
Proverbs, Chapter 16
To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
The Lord works out everything to its proper end—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
The Lord detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.
In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.
Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.
Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.
Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.
A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
but the wise will appease it.
When a king’s face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!
The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.
Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,
but folly brings punishment to fools.
The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,
and their lips promote instruction.
Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
A scoundrel plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.
A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.
Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.
Evening Reflection
Life often throws us curveballs. Just when we think we’ve got something figured out, inevitably things change. Our kids grow up, jobs change, our bodies shift, our community evolves, or a need arises. These are the exact moments that we are called to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding, because we know he will make our path straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
One notable moment in which we all had to collectively cling to God was in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic turned our lives upside down and swept across the globe. I remember walking miles around my neighborhood, praying and reciting verses to myself as a way of reminding myself that God would not leave us, even as the whole world began to panic. I had to practice Proverbs 16:3 and commit everything to the Lord, trusting him to establish my plans.
Since that season, life has provided many more opportunities to cling to the Lord when the future felt hazy and scary. We have added three kids to our family through foster care and adoption. As we walked through uncertainty and the roller coaster that is foster care, I often had to remind my soul to lean on the Lord when I wanted to freak out. When my body was struggling with illness, I had to rely on God’s Spirit for peace, even when pain was my constant companion. In the seasons of conflict and strife with my husband, I had to ask God to show me how to change, forgive, and love him with God’s love again.
The future often feels scary, but when we practice trusting God, we know that we will be okay. It is our reliance on Jesus that carries us from one season to the next. Without Him, the future is bleak, but as believers, we have access to eternal hope that changes everything.
Remember Proverbs 16:9, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Our future is the Lord's! He is the one establishing our steps. We can trust Him.
Evening Prayer
Father,
I thank you that you are trustworthy. I can rely on your word and promises when I can’t see the way forward. I can lean on the power of your Holy Spirit when I am unsure how to move ahead. I commit my ways to you, knowing that you alone establish my steps. Go before me and make a way! I need you, Jesus. You are my firm foundation in a chaotic world.
Amen.
How did tonight’s scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly Scripture forum discussion.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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