WISDOM FROM ABOVE REV. FLORENCE LOUISE CRAWFORD
From The Apostolic Faith Paper (Vol.51 No.3 May/June, 1958)
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).
In the early days, God’s people’s hearts were simple and receptive and tender towards him, and their faith was so simple in God that they could lean to nothing but God. Now we see many people who lean so much on their own understanding and their own interpretation of the Word and of the will of God. They are twisting and turning things, just getting them moved aroundto suit their own understanding, instead of being simple and childlike and full of faith, and leaning on God and trusting Him.
Some people are too careful about the things of this life! The Word says: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).
Now, when we come so careful and fearful, then we begin to lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting it all to God, and letting Him bring it out. When hard things came up, and we would hardly know what to do, our faith was so simple in God that we would trust Him to carry us through. God would call some of us to go out and carry the Gospel, and there was no possible chance, so far as we could see: but instead of leaning to our own understanding, we just had to trust God to open the way. He always did it.
God will lead you out, if you leave it to Him; but if you lean to your own understanding, He will let you flounder around and try to fix things for yourself. God wants you to have just the simplicity of faith that you do not take things in your hands and run them yourself, but let your faith and confidence rest in the Word of God and in the great God of Heaven who has planned everything for you. If you trust in Him, you cannot take one step but that He will go before you; but if you lean to your own understanding, if you plan the things out for yourself, you do it at your own risk.
Do things trouble you terribly today that did not trouble you at all at one time? If that is true, you have lost that simple faith in God, and are leaning to your own understanding instead of trusting in God.
“My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
“So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
“Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble” (Proverbs 3:21-23).
Leave your care, your sorrow, your anxiety, and get back to simple faith in Jesus Christ.
“Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
“For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken” (Proverbs 3:25, 26)
Terrible trouble is coming upon this earth – a terrible upheaval. There is no way out of it, for the Word of God says these things will come in the last days. But wisdom is our confidence; faith is our stronghold. With these in our hearts, we can lie down in safety – F.L.C.