My Own Wisdom
He showed me something one day that would change my life from that point onward. He showed me a translation of a proverb that would change my life forever. It went something like this: Do not listen to your own wisdom. Let me ask you a question – do you listen to your own wisdom?? #BeBraver
I needed no one.
Whenever I had a problem as a little girl, I just got by myself and I sorted it out. If I talked to anyone about it, then I risked someone’s not liking me, so I didn’t ask aloud very often. I would not risk anyone, especially someone in authority, either not liking what I had to say or telling me how stupid they thought I was. So, I used myself as my own sounding board for years and years and eventually built up an altar around myself with an invisible sign that read, “I don’t need you because I already know everything.” I became the authority, and when I made a decision, my mind was made up and it was difficult to change it. Imagine if you will, the kind of false confidence this created in my very young mind. I believed that I knew all the answers, and if I did not know an answer, I believed I could find it on my own without asking anyone. I became very self-reliant and very independent and needed no one’s help. I was dangerous to myself and to others. I searched for Truth and found reincarnation, horoscopes, levitation and a bit of ESP, and as I matured, I used my false confidence to convince others that they could find hope through these resources as well.
DON’T LISTEN TO MY OWN WISDOM?! Why, that was crazy. I had listened to myself for so long that it was ludicrous to begin to think in another manner. Since I was around three years old, I had listened to my own wisdom, relied on my own understanding and been convinced that I was the only one I would ever be able to trust. Imagine growing up thinking I had all the answers. Do you think I might have been a bit arrogant? To expand a bit, let me point out a couple other translations of this text along with the context of it.
The Living Bible puts it like this – Prov 3:4-7 If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success. Don’t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead, trust and reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality.
What a novel thought, not to trust my own wisdom. I had trusted my own thoughts for so long that I honestly did not know how to change my mind about it. So, I asked for prayer, and God touched my heart and gave me understanding, so that I could change my mind and listen to His wisdom instead of my own. You see, when we listen to His wisdom, then Proverbs 3:4 can become the way we live our lives – we can have favor with both God and man and we can have a reputation for good judgment and common sense. HOW I wanted this type of lifestyle. How about you? Do you want free from your own wisdom? Go for it!!! Run for it!! HE has made you free!
Do you analyze things to death?
It is not His desire that we examine and re-examine and analyze every single little thing so much that it brings confusion and second guessing. Let me just say that if you are willing to give yourself over to the Lord, you can expect God to begin to move in your heart and bring change to your mind. Let me just tell you that our God is the God of the impossible. He made it possible, one day at a time, for me to learn how to trust Him instead of myself. If He will do it for me, then He will definitely do it for you! It will be a process of learning a brand new lifestyle, one lead by the Holy Spirit. Do you need to be free from your own wisdom?
John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
He showed me how to have a change of mind about all those years I had believed I was the only authority. He showed me how I could have a change of mind about all those years I had trusted only myself. In time, He brought down the altar I had built around myself. Quite frankly, what I had done was made my mind, my own understanding, into my own little god – the all-knowing Donna. How deceived I was until I was willing to listen to our God.
Pray with me
Jesus, I admit to listening to my own wisdom most of the time. I admit to needing Your wisdom more than my own wisdom, and ask for You to change me. Show me how to lean into You for Truth, because I am tired of living life my own way. I want your way from now on. Forgive my sin of being so hardheaded about things. Today, I have a change of mind and I turn to You. I do look to myself for everything. It is sad, but I don’t trust anyone else’s opinion by my own. I have looked to myself for so long that I’m not sure I’ll know how to respond to You in this way. Even so, I say I trust You and expect You to move in my life. I ask You Lord to let me learn how to trust You as well as others. Touch my heart and give me understanding. I confess today as the day I change my mind from listening only to me and not to You. Today, I choose to listen to Your wisdom instead of my own and trust You to work out my life, as You want it to be. Amen.
If you read this far you might be interested in a fiction story…kind of like a soap opera really – I released the 3rd part in the Other Side of the Road and am preparing to release FROM the Other Side of the Road – you can follow me there too if you like – its just for fun!! http://donnareinersblogs.wordpress.com/
Change your mind and not longer listen to your own wisdom…
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Until next time, d