Trust in Providence

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

–Proverbs 3:5–6

This week, we’ve been following the journey of Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, as he went to find a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac. Eliezer made the five-hundred-mile trek to the city of Nahor to find a woman who was a believer. Then he prayed for God’s guidance, and he met a woman named Rebekah. When Rebekah’s parents asked if she wanted to go with Eliezer, she said yes.

But what if Rebekah had said no? What should Eliezer have done then? That leads to a final principle for finding a mate or making any decision in life: trust in Providence.

Eliezer had anticipated the possibility that the woman he found would say no. In Genesis 24:5, he said to Abraham, “Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?” Abraham answered, “If the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; only do not take my son back there” (v. 8). Abraham was saying, “As far as I can determine, this is God’s will. But if God shuts this door, I believe He will provide a bride for Isaac another way.” What a great demonstration of faith!

Today, there’s a lot of misunderstanding about faith. Some people think faith is just wishful thinking. Other people think faith means conjuring up positive images about what they want, and if they believe it hard enough and long enough, then God will do it. That’s not faith. The Bible says real faith is the assurance that God is going to do what He wants to do in His way and in His time. True faith says, “God, this is what I desire, but I am leaving the results to You because I trust in Your goodness and Your wisdom.”

Years ago, I read a book called All You Can Do Is All You Can Do. Isn’t that a great title? That’s true when it comes to knowing God’s will. After you’ve acquainted yourself with the principles in God’s Word, prayed faithfully, tried to be practical, and considered your own preferences, ultimately, you have to make a decision and then trust in the goodness and sovereignty of God. Proverbs 3:5–6 promises, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

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Today’s devotion is adapted from “How to Choose a Mate” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2008.

A. L. Williams, All You Can Do Is All You Can Do, but All You Can Do Is Enough! (Nashville: Oliver-Nelson, 1988).

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.