Proverbs 3

This chapter contains a famous Bible verse: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.” (vs 5-6) I learned that one as a kid; maybe you did, too. But, is it really true? Can we really trust God to lead us in the way we’re supposed to go? Is this rhetorical? Or literal?

Allow me to briefly share a personal story. In the summer of 2000, I moved to England. I had graduated from college and went to England for a two-year internship. Not too long ago, I wrote about that on this blog and shared how I didn’t want to go to England. What I’d like to share today is the second part of that story.

While in England, I made a decision to become a missionary. Because I was considered a “student missionary” in my internship position, I met a lot of missionaries who worked all over the world. I decided that I wanted to dedicate my life to God as a missionary—with one caveat. I told God that I would go anywhere in the world He wanted me to go, but I wanted Him to “plant” me there. I didn’t want to do what so many of the missionaries I met had done—go to a place for a six-year term and then leave, just as you’re really getting “settled in.”

Now, for me to tell God that I was willing to go anywhere in the world was a huge thing for me, because I don’t get along well with spiders, snakes, rats, or most other creepy-crawlies. Nevertheless, I was truly willing to go wherever God decided to send me, and during the rest of my time in England, I resolved to listen for His guidance.

After I met my future husband, I shared with him my conviction about becoming a missionary, and I was delighted that he was eager to go on the adventure with me! Together, we prayed for God to lead us to our mission field.

He did. Only, it wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. Through His guidance, it was more than clear that God was leading us right back to Battle Creek, Michigan—the town where I grew up. It’s not an understatement to say that I was pretty mad. Battle Creek?! God, I told you I would go anywhere in the whole world for You, and You’re sending me back to Battle Creek?! But there wasn’t much use arguing about it. To David and me, it was clear that this was God’s leading.

So, I kept my promise to God. We packed up our things and moved to Battle Creek. Not knowing what else to do, we made a plan to begin working with the young people in our church. When that didn’t pan out, we branched out with a ministry of our own. Still, I kept wondering why God had called us back to Michigan. There were times when I might have been tempted to think that we had misunderstood His guidance, but I knew we hadn’t. He had been more than clear.

And then, in the fall of 2007, my father was diagnosed with ALS. And that began a long 18 months of helping my mother care for him as he died. During that time, we wrote a book together about God—an experience that changed my life and one I know would never have happened had I not lived in Battle Creek. After he died, my mom and I wrote a book together about suffering—again, an experience that changed my life and one I know would never have happened had I not lived in Battle Creek.

During the last months of my father’s life, I had several life-changing, paradigm-shifting moments. As a result, I am a completely different person than I was before, and I can never go back again. God is still unfolding to me all the ways that He is using those experiences in working out His plan for my life and ministry, but I have no doubt that when He sent me back to Battle Creek, it was the right thing—even though it took years to understand why.

God sees more than we do. That’s why only He can be trusted as our pathmaker. Even when things don’t make sense—especially when they don’t make sense!—it really is best to lean on God and not our own understanding. If we acknowledge His will in our lives, He is more than willing, able, and eager to direct our paths!