David Lee Martin

I’m a learner.

But more than that, I’m a “leaner”.

Learning to lean on the leading of God.

Proverbs says:

“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.” (Proverbs 3:5–6 KJV)

Would you sit on this impractical object?

Yet how often do we lean on our minds, will, and emotions alone to lead us?

The fourth leg (it’s actually the first!) is God.

Acknowledging Him gives you the stability you need.

His words and wisdom take the weight.

You were never made to lift the burden of life alone. With God in your corner, He will hold you up.

The Amplified Bible defines faith and trust as “the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness)”.

I like that.

Maybe it’s time to pull a new stool to the table.

One of my favorite places to visit is the Book of Proverbs.

I steer myself here much like a driver pulling into a regular pitstop.

When I find myself in need of fresh fuel and a tune up for my heart and mind, this is one of the places I return to.

Every time I drive through proverbs I notice (or I’m reminded of) something new.

Yesterday, the particular gem that shone in the dirt for me was verse 3 of chapter 1:

“Receive instruction in wise dealing and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness, righteousness, justice, and integrity,” (Proverbs 1:3 AMP)

“The discipline of wise thoughtfulness.”

The way you think is a discipline.

It is something you can learn.

Our mind is a tool given by God to comprehend His world, and we’re encouraged to harness every thought and to tie it securely to the truth of God’s Word.

The mind can be an unruly beast left to its own devices.

How important this discipline is.

For me, the discipline of wise thoughtfulness is best exercised in quietness, with the Good Book open in my hands, carefully chewing each verse. Not hurrying to fulfil a quota of chapters, or trying to keep up with a reading plan.

One verse might take many minutes, even hours, to chew and ponder.

It’s essential to get past the fog that a busy brain stirs up.

God’s word settles like dew upon a rested soul:

“My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:” (Deuteronomy 32:2 KJV)

Get still, and know Him.

Don’t be a drive-by disciple.

Pull into the pitstop and stop your wheels turning for a minute or ten.

Develop the discipline of wise thoughtfulness as you ponder God’s words, and seek to see how they apply to your life right where you are.

Selah.

Walking at one with the Almighty is not strenuous.

He is your Sabbath.

“For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:10 KJV)

There is a pace to grace that sits well with the season you are experiencing.

Some seasons are more ‘busy’ than others, but with each season, the requisite equipping is granted to walk through it well.

Stress mounts when we attempt to step out of season.

Instead of abiding, we strain to believe for things that are not yet substance in our heart. Faith forms as we abide in Christ, and when the object is obtained it becomes a fact. We do not need to ‘try’ and believe for it any more than we have to try and believe for the nose on our face.

If you find yourself straining to believe it is because you don’t.

Go back a step and listen. Faith comes by hearing and hearing precedes believing.

This is why waiting on God is so essential.

The temptation is often to drag back or jump ahead.

We grasp behind holding onto yesterday’s grace, hoping it might pull us through today, or strain forward looking for some future blessing that blinds us to the goodness of God available to us right now.

His mercies are new every day. Like manna it arrives just in time to sustain you.

And regarding the future, Jesus said:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34 NKJV)

There’s a beauty to this present grace-filled moment that reveals God in ways that yesterday did not, and tomorrow cannot.

He wants to be your Lord and friend today.

Right now.

Exactly where you are at.

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:6 KJV)

God speaks.

Some insist that His speech is ensconced in misty sayings and mysterious utterances only available to “super-spiritual” saints.

But I have found that the Lord speaks directly. Clearly. Distinctly.

His words and ways are not mysterious at all.

But you do have to listen!

Jeremiah was right when he observed:

“O Lord [pleads Jeremiah in the name of the people], I know that [the determination of] the way of a man is not in himself; it is not in man [even in a strong man or in a man at his best] to direct his [own] steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23 AMP)

I’ve tried it too many times. Hustling my way through life, trying to figure things out.

Even in ministry, when we were planting and pastoring churches, scheming ways to lead and grow, “Doing my best”. Full of noble intentions yet wracked with insecurity and doubt.

How much more peaceful the pathway of faith.

Not a forced believing.

Forced believing leads to frustration. Straining to convince yourself something is true is futile.

You have to hear.

That’s the way the Kingdom works.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 KJV)

And once we’ve heard, we speak and act accordingly.

“We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;” (2 Corinthians 4:13 KJV)

Your words and actions move in tandem with the spoken directions for your season.

The effort to believe is taken from the equation because God’s Word, alive in your heart, does all of the heavy lifting.

Here’s the short version:

Stop trying to believe.

Sit and listen long enough to hear.

And when He speaks, receive the grace and faith that comes with His direction.

Selah.

It is said that the Bible says “Do not fear” 365 times, one for every day of the year.

Although not accurate, it makes for a great meme.

Thankfully, you don’t need to stack your “Don’t be afraids” for them to work.

One “Fear not” from God will cover all your bases.

Here are some “don’t be afraids” worth considering:

• Don’t be afraid to start
• Don’t be afraid to finish.
• Don’t be afraid to say “yes”
• Don’t be afraid to say “no”
• Don’t be afraid to make a change
• Don’t be afraid of missing out
• Don’t be afraid of making mistakes
• Don’t be afraid to say sorry
• Don’t be afraid to stand for what you believe
• Don’t be afraid what others will say
• Don’t be afraid what others will think
• Don’t be afraid of others
• Don’t be afraid to follow your convictions
• Don’t be afraid to try something new
• Don’t be afraid to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [fill-in-the-blank]

The day-to-day fears people face differ.

Whatever they are, face your afraids.

Face them with God.

He is on your side and ready to help.

“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear:” (Psalm 118:6 KJV)

“boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear” (Hebrews 13:6 KJV)