9/1/2025 Daily Devotion: Trust With, Not For

Proverbs 16 NASB - The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives. Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established. The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil. Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; assuredly, he will not be unpunished. By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil. When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice. The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps. A divine decision is in the lips of the king; his mouth should not err in judgment. A just balance and scales belong to the LORD; all the weights of the bag are His concern. It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, for a throne is established on righteousness. Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and he who speaks right is loved. The fury of a king is like messengers of death, but a wise man will appease it. In the light of a king’s face is life, and his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain. How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; he who watches his way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who gives attention to the word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. The wise in heart will be called understanding, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the discipline of fools is folly. The heart of the wise instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on. A worthless man digs up evil, while his words are like scorching fire. A perverse man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends. A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good. He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; he who compresses his lips brings evil to pass. A gray head is a crown of glory; it is found in the way of righteousness. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

TRUST has been on my heart lately.

• Blessed is he who Trusts in the Lord.

Trusts in the Lord for what? (Wrong question!) … the better question is Trusts in the Lord WITH what?

• God is not a Heavenly, Divine Costco that we go to just FOR things … but, often, this is how we pray isn’t it?

• Lord, give me peace.

• Lord, provide safety.

• Lord, I need love or a job or healing or this or that.

• We often notice something we lack and pray that God would give it to us … this is not what God wants for us!

God desires that we would Trust Him WITH our life! … all of it!

• God wants us to look to Him for direction with what we DO HAVE as well as what we lack or need!

• When we turn over our lives TO GOD, His Spirit lives inside of us … we have God in us!

• Instead of trying to figure out what you need in any given scenario in order to ask God for it … TRUST HIM in every scenario and follow His Direction!

How do we do this? How do we start to TRUST Him with more and more of our lives?

• THINK. ABOUT. HIM.

• Consider Him.

• Acknowledge His existence in all that you do … think about God in all scenarios and with all the decisions throughout your day.

• Thinking of Him will lead you to noticing Him, which will lead to hearing Him, which then will give you an opportunity to TRUST Him & CHOOSE to obey Him!

What gets in our way, preventing us from Trusting God? Pride … Pride is when we trust ourselves more than we Trust God.

• Trust in self produces destruction.

• Trust in God produces blessing.

We all trust something with our lives … are you trusting your self to provide & execute your life? … or are you TRUSTING GOD with your life?

Blessed is he (or she) who TRUSTS in the Lord!