Lean Not on Your Understanding

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

Some missionary friends I’ve known for 10 years served in Haiti.  They have four kids and worked really hard.  I enjoyed visiting them when we took trips to Haiti and kept up with them when we weren’t there.  They adapted to Haitian life and worked to share the Gospel with the Haitians and support the local churches. 

One of their children developed stomach troubles and it got worse and worse.  They would come back to U.S. and see doctors and never could get an answer.  They visited the best clinics we have.  Still no resolution.  The child had such a limited diet that it become incredibly difficult to provide nutrition.  Her learning became slow and her focus very difficult.  My friends were distraught and praying constantly for their daughter.  After several years they believed they should come off the field.  Sadly, they left Haiti and returned to the U.S.

After nine or so months of being in the U.S. and while still pursuing medical care for their daughter, she began to mysteriously get better.  So much so that now she appears to have not a single thing wrong with her.  The last doctor visit was unable to find a single problem.  She is able to eat anything she wants to eat now.  Her focus and learning have all returned to normal.  The doctors have no explanation.  It’s nothing but a miracle.

If my friends leaned upon their own understanding, even of what they believed God wanted, they would and did reason that God wanted them in Haiti.  But God had called them home.  If they leaned on their own understanding they would reason that their daughter might not could be healed.  But God had a miracle in store. 

When you’re in your worst battle, in their situation, their daughter is really, really sick, they are having to abandon their work of the last decade, they don’t have jobs, a house, cars, a school, or a routine of living in the U.S., it is so very difficult to trust in the Lord and not lean upon our own understanding.  Faith is believing in what you don’t see, but know, and not in what you physically see and try to reason over.

Once the miracle comes, be sure to witness with praise and testimony to the greatness of God.  This is something my friends have certainly not been shy about.  They give glory to God and look forward to where He is going to direct their paths.