“…in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:6

My Way?  Or the HIGHway?

Here’s a radical thought: What if we actually do what the Bible instructs us to do? What if we actually were willing to acknowledge God in ALL of our ways? What would it look like when our ways are less than lovely? Well, I’ve been putting God to task in this area. It sounds something like this: “Lord, I have a store of resentment in my heart towards this person. I forgave every offense, but I don’t know how to let go of this resentment, nor do I necessarily want to let go.” Acknowledge Him in all your ways…

“Lord, I actually want to read this book even though I know it has parts in it that don’t please You; there are passages in this book that probably break Your heart, yet I want to skim over those parts and enjoy the rest of the story. Lord, I really don’t want You to tell me not to read this book!” Acknowledge Him in all your ways…

“Lord, You know what I ate today. You know that I was covering up the pain I didn’t want to feel by mindlessly munching on sugary things that left me tired and grumpy.” Acknowledge Him in all your ways…

“But LORD, I am afraid that you are going to tell me not to do those things that I want to do.” Acknowledge Him in all your ways…

“LORD, I can’t bear to feel the sorrow upon sorrow upon sorrows of my heart… and if I have to feel them, it will kill me.” Acknowledge Him in ALL your ways…

“Oh, and Lord, what about this thing here? The Bible doesn’t say anything about it being wrong, but I feel a catch in my spirit, like maybe it isn’t something I should be doing… even though my friends seem to not feel the same conviction about it. So I’m planning to do it anyway, and honestly, if You don’t want me to do it, You are going to have to be the One to stop it from happening.” Acknowledge Him in ALL your ways…

What would this type of honest praying about the big and little things, even and especially the shameful things we would never want to expose to another human, look like?  

If we believe God, then we can trust that He will make our paths straight. This means that He will cause the road to rise up to meet us where we are. We can take all that we are used to clutching close, and open our palms toward Jesus. Then with our eyes on Jesus, not turning to the left or the right, simply take the next step as He places it in front of us.  

What’s the point of hiding from God? He sees it anyway. And He is not mad at us! He knows that our own ways will only bring confusion, because “our ways” often lead us backward, or into a tangled, twisted mess, and then leave us in the same place we were to begin with, only more exhausted than when we began.   

“Father, thank You for saving us by grace through our faith in Jesus. As we continue to acknowledge all of our ways to You, please direct our paths. We are sheep, harassed and harried by this world, in need of our Shepherd’s direction. In Jesus name, Amen.”