Trust, Rely, Know, Acknowledge, and Recognize

Hard days. They come. And they beckon us to search His Word for comfort.

Proverbs 3:5-6, in the Amplified translation says this, “Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart. And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him and He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles block your way.]”

When we lean on your own understanding, it’s like were resting upon a broken reed which will break and fail us every time. And so we must come to a place where our human reasoning isn’t enough. Where the life events shrouded by mystery bring us to the feet of Jesus. Pastor Bill Johnson says, “Mystery is just as important as revelation. It gives us reason for trust.”

Reliance on God excludes fret and discontent and dissatisfaction. When we fully rely on Him, we believe that all is ordered for the best and living a slave to these turbulent passions is not living like Christ.

And so I focus on the words hard this week. Trust = confidence, reliance, or resting of the mind. Credit given without explanation. Rely = to rest on something; to have confidence in; to depend; a restful mind, undisturbed by doubt. Know = to perceive with certainty; to understand clearly; to be no stranger to; to be familiar; to have full assurance of. Acknowledge = to own or admit to be true by a declaration; to own with gratitude. Not “book” knowledge, but to know by interaction, from exchange and encounter. Recognize = to recollect; recover the knowledge of; to review, re-examine.

And so I’ll continue wrestling through it all. I’ll TRUST in Him without needing to fully understand. I’ll RELY on His strength while I rest undisturbed by doubt. I’ll KNOW Him so intimately that there’ll be no room for uncertainty. I’ll ACKNOWLEDGE Him as Grace-Giver in all things. And I’ll RECOGNIZE Him as the Good Father who is working all things out for my good and His glory!