Answers to Our Prayers (Proverbs 3:5-6)

It is not uncommon for us to approach God with preconceived notions of how we expect Him to answer our prayers. However, the Scriptures teach us to trust in His wisdom and not impose limitations on His ability to bless us.

Proverbs 3:5-6 again 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.”

In the context of prayer, these verses remind us of the importance of trusting in the Lord completely. When we bring our requests before Him, we should not rely solely on our own understanding or limited perspective. Instead, we are called to trust in God’s wisdom and leading.

Trusting the Lord with all our hearts means:

• surrendering our desires,
• surrendering expectations,
• and surrendering our plans to Him.

It involves acknowledging His sovereignty and believing that He knows what is best for us. This includes trusting the answer He gives us, even if it is different from what we expect or desire.

When we acknowledge God in all our ways, including in our prayers, He promises to direct our paths. This means that as we trust Him with our requests and accept His answers, He will guide us in the right direction.

This guidance may not always be what we anticipate, but we can have confidence that God’s plan is perfect and that He is working for our good (Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose).

So, that is our overview now let’s get some specifics, we must…

LEAN NOT UNTO OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING

Look at Proverbs 3:5 again, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Proverbs 3:5 instructs us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not to lean on our own understanding. This is especially crucial in the context of prayer and receiving God’s answers.

When we come to God in prayer, we often have our own ideas and desires about how He should answer. We may think we know what is best for us or have a specific outcome in mind. However, Proverbs warns us against leaning on our limited understanding.

God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). He sees the bigger picture that we cannot comprehend. Therefore, when we pray, we must trust in His wisdom and His perfect timing.

Attempting to impose our preconceived ideas about the answer onto the answer the Lord gives can lead to disappointment and confusion. We must remember that God’s ways are perfect, even when they differ from our own plans.

Instead of leaning on our own understanding, we should submit our desires to God in prayer and trust that He will answer in accordance with His will. This requires humility and a willingness to surrender our own ideas and preferences.

When we trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding we open ourselves up to receive God’s best for us. We can rest assured that His answers are always perfect, even if they are not what we expected.

Let us, therefore, approach God in prayer with hearts full of trust and humility, knowing that He is faithful to answer according to His perfect will.

Next, we need to…

LET THE LORD DIRECT OUR PATHS

Now look at Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

This verse teaches us the importance of acknowledging God in all our ways, including in the answers to our prayers. When we come to God in prayer, we must not only seek His guidance but also acknowledge His sovereignty over our lives.

Sometimes, God’s answers to our prayers may lead us down paths that make us uncomfortable. They may require us to step out in faith, leaving behind our familiar surroundings and routines.

However, Proverbs assures us that when we acknowledge God in all our ways, He will direct our paths. That is the key though, we must acknowledge Him in all our ways, including our preferences, our desires, and our personal thoughts on how our prayers should be answered.

Acknowledging God in the answers to our prayers requires humility and trust. It means being willing to let go of our own plans and desires and submit to God’s perfect will.

When we acknowledge God in all our ways, we allow Him to direct our paths according to His perfect plan for our lives. This may involve taking us out of our comfort zones and into unknown territory, or territory we never anticipated going into, but we can trust that God’s direction is always for our good for His glory.

Now we gotta dig just a little deep for a moment, in Proverbs 3:6, the Hebrew word for “acknowledge” is “yada,” which means more than just a simple acknowledgment; it implies a deep, intimate knowledge or relationship. It conveys the idea of knowing someone personally, not just knowing about them.

Proverbs 3:6 again, “In all thy ways acknowledge him [personally know Him deeply], and he shall direct thy paths.”

So “acknowledge” goes beyond mere recognition. It speaks of a deep, intimate knowledge or relationship. When applied to our relationship with God, it implies knowing Him personally, not just knowing about Him.

In the context of prayer, this understanding of “acknowledge” is crucial. It means more than just acknowledging God’s existence or authority; it involves recognizing His presence in every aspect of our lives. It is an invitation to walk in close fellowship with Him, seeking His guidance and direction in all things.

When we acknowledge God in all our ways, we invite Him into every area of our lives, including our prayers. We recognize that He is not just a distant deity but a loving Father who desires to be intimately involved in our lives. This acknowledgment is the foundation of a vibrant prayer life.

In our prayers, let us not just recite words or make requests; let us come before God with hearts open and ready to commune with Him. Let us seek to know Him more deeply and to align our will with His. As we acknowledge God in this way, He promises to direct our paths, guiding us in His perfect will.

Let us, therefore, approach God in prayer with hearts full of trust and humility, acknowledging His sovereignty over our lives. Let us be willing to follow wherever He leads, even if it makes us uncomfortable, knowing that He will direct our paths and guide us in His perfect will.

GODS WILL MAY NOT BE OUR WILL

Proverbs 3:6 again, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” There is one more point I believe this verse leads us to. And that point actually takes us to the Book of Acts.

In Acts 16:6-7, we find an instance where the Holy Spirit prevented Paul from going to a certain region, “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”

In these verses, we see that the Holy Spirit directed Paul and his companions away from Asia and Bithynia, indicating that it was not the right time or place for their ministry. God had a different place for them for ministry. This demonstrates the active role of the Holy Spirit in guiding and directing the early church in its missionary efforts.

The account in Acts 16:6-7 provides us with a powerful lesson in submitting to God’s will, even when it contradicts our own plans or desires.

In these verses, we see that Paul and his companions were prevented by the Holy Spirit from going to certain places to preach the Word. The Lord took them to a different place, a place they did not expect to go.

This teaches us that in our prayers, we must be willing to acknowledge and submit to God’s leading, even when it goes against what we think is best. Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Just as Paul and his companions were directed away from Asia and Bithynia, there may be times when God’s answer to our prayers leads us in a direction that seems illogical or goes against our own understanding.

When faced with such situations, we are called to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). We must be like Paul, who was willing to submit to God’s leading even when it meant changing his plans and going in a direction that seemed contrary to his own desires or what he thought was best.

Submitting to God’s will in prayer requires humility and faith. It means surrendering our own will and desires to His perfect plan, trusting that He knows what is best for us.

It means living by the principles found in Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

As we strive to align our prayers with God’s will, let us remember the example of Paul and his companions. Let us be willing to submit to God’s leading, even when it seems illogical or goes against what we personally think is best. In doing so, we can trust that God will direct our paths and guide us in His perfect will.

IN CONCLUSION

Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches us to trust in the Lord wholeheartedly, especially when it comes to prayer. We should not lean on our own understanding but acknowledge God in all our ways, trusting that He will direct our paths according to His perfect plan.

I want us to keep in mind three points from this devotional this afternoon:

• Don’t Stop God from Blessing You with Self-Imposed Limitations:

In our eagerness for answers, we often limit God by expecting only certain answers or outcomes. We must remember that God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9).

The Bible reminds us in Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Let us not confine God’s blessings to our limited understanding but trust that He knows what is best for us even when it maybe does not quite make sense to us.

• Follow God’s Leading Even if It Makes You Uncomfortable:

Sometimes, God’s answers may require us to step out of our comfort zones.

• Abraham was called to leave his homeland and go to a place God would show him (Genesis 12:1).
• Moses was asked to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10).

Both faced discomfort and uncertainty but obeyed God’s leading. Are we willing to follow God’s leading even if it challenges us?

• God May Answer Your Prayer in a Way You Never Considered – Are You Willing to Accept That Answer?

We must be open to God’s unexpected answers to our prayers. The Apostle Paul prayed three times for his thorn in the flesh to be removed, but God’s response was, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9).

Paul accepted God’s answer, recognizing that God’s plan was greater than his own desires. Are we willing to accept God’s answers, even when they differ from our expectations?

So as we approach God in prayer, let us do so with humility and trust, knowing that He is able to do far more than we can ask or think. Let us not limit Him with our expectations but be open to His leading, even when it challenges us. May we always be willing to accept God’s answers, knowing that His ways are perfect.