Advice for the New Year (Proverbs 3:5-6)
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Yesterday, my wife and I began a new adventure as pastors of Living Faith Center in Santa Barbara, California. While we do not know what the future holds, we know who holds the future. And that is a good piece of information with which to begin the New Year.
People often say that life is a journey, not a destination. I couldn’t disagree more. Life is a journey precisely because it has a destination. Would you really enjoy that hike through the woods as much if you didn’t know where you were going?
Tiffany and I are on a spiritual journey, and we know the destination. We want to pastor a healthy, growing church here in Santa Barbara. And we know many of the milestones along the path. Love the people. Preach well. Befriend the friendless. Help those in need. But in addition to well-known milestones, the path has many unknown twists and turns. How should we deal with the uncertainties of the journey?
Proverbs 3:5-6 provides an answer:
Trust in the LORD with all your heartand lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make your paths straight.
This proverb tells us three things to do if we want God to guide us on life’s journey:
First, believe in God. There are two basic kinds of belief: believing that and believing in. I believe that George Washington was the first president of our country. But the early Americans believed in George Washington. They trusted him to guide our country with integrity and selflessness. When Solomon tells us to “trust in the LORD with all your heart,” he’s talking about the in rather than the that kind of belief. It’s not enough to believe many things about God, we must trust him wholeheartedly. That’s the only way to walk when the path of life is uncertain.
Second, distrust yourself. We live in a day and age of deep skepticism. We don’t trust government officials, business leaders, or even our own pastors. We distrust many people. And yet, we believe in ourselves to the nth degree. Personally, I’ve always found that a bit weird. I know myself better than anyone else. And precisely because I know myself so well, I’ve learned to distrust myself, to not “lean on my own understanding.” Sometimes, other people know what to do better than I do, and it would be the height of folly to ignore them but listen to myself. And obviously, God always knows best.
Third, give thanks! Several years ago, in the midst of a deep depression, I wrote down a list of all the things that I was nonetheless thankful for. And then, when I ate with people, I began to thank God for them when we prayed for the food. Those simple acts of gratitude broke the spell of my depression. Since then, I’ve learned (and am still learning) to “acknowledge” God in the midst of everything, for he is always present, trying to guide me.
As this New Year begins, I guess the best advice I have for you is this: If you want a straight path in 2007, get a Good Guide!
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Fine advice for the new year, George. Welcome to SB!
Mike Ringer
January 2, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Appreciated your focus on gratitude as antidote for depression. God bless you and Tiffany. You’re in our prayers.
Lillian Ament
January 3, 2007 at 12:56 pm