Proverbs is known as a book of wisdom. I have always enjoyed reading Proverbs, because there is so much good, practical advice in it. Real life situations are covered in its pages. The truth is spelled out, and I know I can rely on it to guide me.
Proverbs Chapter 4, verses 25-27 speaks to living in the present: Â Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or to the left, keep your foot from evil. [NIV Bible]
God wants to help us make decisions that will benefit us. A lot of times, I’ve made decisions that have ended up punishing me. It can be really hard to see what will end up hurting us in the future. Because God knows everything about us, all of our circumstances and vulnerabilities, He is our best guide into the future.
I like to say that hindsight is knowing what you should have done after you didn’t do it. 🙂 When those times come, cut yourself some slack and go to God. Tell Him what you feel–defeat, frustration, anger, regret–He can handle it! He can settle us and show us mercy. It’s so important to accept God’s help, because if we try to do it all on our own, we get weary and run down.
These verses talk about now, not about what you’ve already done that you wish you hadn’t. Not what you fear will happen in the future, because that can overwhelm us. Make level paths for your feet by talking to God about everything. Reading the Bible will nourish you from the inside out. Remember that you don’t have to be able to interpret everything you read. Leave it up to the Holy Spirit to help you understand. Even when you feel like you just aren’t getting it, keep reading the Bible because God is speaking to your spirit. You are absorbing it and learning from it even if it doesn’t seem to be happening.
Read your Bible expecting (yes, expecting in bold faith 🙂 ) to get something out of it every time you do. God wants to help you with every part of your life. Talk to Him, read the Bible, accept Him into your life and let Him take the reins!