Trusting When It Doesn't Make Sense

[0:00] So this morning we're going to continue, we're going to look at trusting when it doesn't make sense.! Trusting when it doesn't make sense. Let's take a look here as we found in Proverbs chapter 3.

[0:11] ! Notice here as it begins the chapter here, it says, My son, forget not my law, let thine heart keep my commandments.

[0:22] Now Proverbs here is written, this particular is written by Solomon, and we understand this instruction would have been to his son Rehoboam, who is going to become king of Israel.

[0:35] But it's also instruction that applies directly to us and the many challenges that we face. One thing about it is you don't have to live very long to realize life's going to have problems.

[0:48] Life's going to have challenges. Life's going to have struggles. We've spoke about those pressures a little bit this morning, but whether you've been a Christian for one day or 70 years, God still asks the same thing, and that's to be a follower of him, to trust him.

[1:07] Ephesians 5 and verse 1 tells us this, it says, Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children. To trust them, a childlike trust. You know, part of that dynamic as you're growing up children is teaching them to trust.

[1:26] And who to trust. You know, because who you trust is just as important as what you trust. We need to learn to trust God. And what does trusting God look like?

[1:38] Because this kind of trust is only possible as we grow in understanding of our Heavenly Father. As we do, we'll be able to trust him more implicitly.

[1:51] Even when doing so doesn't make sense. You know? We find here in Proverbs chapter 3, three very important things as we're going to look through here this morning when it comes to learning to trust God when it doesn't make sense.

[2:12] Because the first thing is, how are we going to deal with it? How are we going to walk through when it doesn't make sense? What's going to guide us when it's the fog of life? You know, sometimes they talk about the fog of war.

[2:24] Sometimes I think we have a fog of life. There's so many things happening that we can't see everything that's a distance around us to get our perspective because of all that's happening.

[2:36] And we see that taking place. And we're going to look here this morning about the foundation of those things. Because notice here that he tells them in verse 1, he says, Forget not my law.

[2:51] You know? The importance of that to refer that foundation of trust that we're going to find here in Proverbs chapter 3. This passage is important because it begins with a reference to the law.

[3:06] Our foundation is the word. The law of God. What God has said. This passage brings that point to us. To grow in our trust in God, we need to give heed to the scripture.

[3:19] To give heed and priority to the word of God. You know? What we find in the word of God, the word of God is the foundation of a Christian life. You know?

[3:30] It's kind of ironic today as I see social media brings out all the hidden things around us. Because the thing about social media is that people say things, if it comes into their mind, they put it out.

[3:42] And what it reveals, how many people don't truly trust, they say they're Christians and they trust God, but then you see what they post of what they trust.

[3:52] It's like there's something incompatible here. What's guiding you in life? What is the foundation for which your faith is set? Is it on people's opinions or is it on the word of God?

[4:04] When we understand that the word of God is that very important, it refers to Jesus Christ, the law. From the onset of Proverbs chapter 3, the first thing Solomon asked his son to remember is his law.

[4:20] You know, it seems that Solomon is actually referring not so much to his instruction as to God's. As we read down through this passage, the actual law of God using the possessive pronouns.

[4:35] My indicates his reference to the family direction based on the word of God. You know, there's a direction there to not forget God's word. You know, the word of God is that foundational structure that builds our faith upon.

[4:55] It's what we build our faith upon. It's on what God has said. The, excuse me, the word of God. Throughout history and the scripture, you'll find God promotes and pushes that even to the point of impacting the family.

[5:08] Solomon was worried about his family. The foundation on which it is built and there should be that dynamic to instruct in the word of God.

[5:20] Look over in the Old Testament for a moment. Go to Deuteronomy chapter 6. Deuteronomy chapter 6. As you look down at verse 4, the word of God tells us something very important because here's Moses, and God has given him instruction of what the children of Israel were supposed to do.

[5:38] What was supposed to take place? You know, he was to teach their word, his word diligently to their children. Notice what it says, verse 4. It says, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy might.

[5:55] And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart. And notice this, and thou shalt what? Teach them diligently to who? Thy children. And shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

[6:11] You know, as parents, we have a responsibility to teach our children the word of God, to lay a foundation for them that gives them a direction in life.

[6:24] You know, it tells us this dynamic. Ephesians chapter 6, there in the New Testament, tells us this, And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in what? The nurture and admonition of the Lord.

[6:38] You know, we live in an age where we see a lot, there's a lot of articles written today about people walking away from their faith. You know, the real question that comes to my mind, what was their faith built upon? You know, we talked this morning about what Jesus said, you know, did you build your house upon the rock, or did you build your house upon the sand?

[6:57] I think there's a lot of people, they're not walking away from a faith. Everything that they founded their faith on was just a facade. And when storms came, it crumbled away.

[7:08] But it was built upon the rock, a firm foundation. It has what it needs to withstand those storms, withstand those things. And we need to understand the importance this morning.

[7:19] If you're going to have a faith that you can trust, even when you don't understand it, it has to be firmly grounded in the Word of God and understanding the need to be intentional about it.

[7:33] Solomon was intentional to instruct his children. It needs to be intentional and saturated within their life and to understand the importance because what we're talking about this morning starts at the home.

[7:49] You know, a firm faith doesn't start at church. A firm faith starts in the home. What the kids see, what they do, what they hear. You know, the importance that we see as Solomon is bringing out here, Proverbs chapter 3.

[8:04] And, you know, church as we come alongside, because as we gather together as a church family, it's to help reinforce and to encourage what's already taking place.

[8:15] But also with others to build them up, to help others to build those same things. And, you know, I want you to understand this morning something very important as we're talking about this.

[8:25] As we have kids downstairs in Sunday school, you know what? Our Sunday school teachers are great, but it's not their responsibility to teach your children everything about God. They might hear something in Sunday school, but you know what?

[8:37] The foundation is built of how the parents deal with it. What do the parents do? Because that's what puts in place the building blocks. And we see this dynamic that when we fail to prioritize time for God, His Word, His people, you know, when we allow other things to incringe in, to edge out God.

[8:59] And I want you to understand the Bible makes it clear in that if you replace God, think about what Deuteronomy said, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy might.

[9:12] What's it saying? If you replace something else as the priority of love, it becomes an idol. You know, it's very easy to get a lot of idols. And we see here, if we're going to have a foundation of faith that lasts when it doesn't make sense, we need to make sure that it's grounded upon something that does not move.

[9:29] And that's the Scripture. The Word of God is the absolute foundation to a healthy life, both for yourself and for a church. You know?

[9:41] Because we need to be grounded in the Word of God. You know, Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 4, he says, You know what?

[10:10] When people get away from the Word of God, they start believing all sorts of strange things. They'll believe all sorts of fables. They'll be drawn away from the things of God.

[10:23] You know what it is? It's idolatry. We need to be grounded on the Word of God. But we live in a day, you know, sometimes I'll just listen to different messages and different things just to kind of see what's happening.

[10:34] You know, there's a lot of things that are, they put up a proposition of being preaching of the Word, but a lot of it is nothing but the philosophy of the world. You know, how do I feel good about this?

[10:44] Or how does this make me feel instead of, what do I need to know to build a solid faith? You know, because we all know that feelings are deceiving.

[10:57] You know, there's a lot of people get deceived by their feelings. You know, when trouble comes in life, when things we don't understand, you know what? Oftentimes we let our feelings supersede fact. Even in a lot of areas of our life, not just in the Word of God, but in other areas of our life, we let what we read on the internet or we see a short clip and we follow that instead of saying, is it true?

[11:19] Does it have basis? Does it have substance behind it? You know, and people want to align those things with the culture of what people want to hear instead of what they need to hear.

[11:32] That's what the Bible talks about here of turning away their ears from the truth. To trust the Lord, we must be taking in His Word and building our lives, our families, and our church on this foundation.

[11:46] He says, forget not my law, but let thine heart keep my commandments. You know, here in Proverbs chapter 3, Solomon not only mentions the law, the Word of God, but he also mentions the commandments.

[12:00] This is a reminder that God's Word is meant to be obeyed. You know, it's not just generic instruction, it's applicational instruction.

[12:12] It's not just information, but application. When we understand we have to trust what the Word of God is, we need to build that dynamic in our life to keep His commandments to bind them about thy neck and to realize the importance of it and to understand how this comes about.

[12:33] Look down as we look here in verse 3, it says, let not mercy and truth forsake thee, bind them about thy neck and write them upon the table of thine heart. You know, to keep God's commandments is to obey them and we'll never do it without intention.

[12:52] Have you ever noticed in life, that's one thing I've learned as I've grown up is that the reality is you get done what you intend to get done because you put priority upon it. Priority says this is what is important.

[13:03] This is what we need to grab a hold of. Look back over into Deuteronomy chapter 8 for a moment. You know, Deuteronomy chapter 8 and the Word of God tells us this in chapter 8 verse 11.

[13:16] The Word of God reminds us of this. It says, Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping His commandments. You know what? A lot of people that profess to know God, they forget God because how do they do that?

[13:28] Because they put God on the sideline. They forget His commandments. They forget what He said. They don't want to keep His judgments and His statutes which I command thee this day. Lest when thou hast eaten and art full and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein when thy herds and thy flocks multiply and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied and all that thou hast is multiplied then thine heart be lifted up and thou shalt forget the Lord thy God which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage.

[13:56] You know what? Our tendency is to forget God's instruction when life is going well. You know a foundation of faith happens when life is going good.

[14:09] It's tested when life goes bad. When life goes sideways. But you know what happens? Oftentimes people want that to try to build the foundation in the midst of the storm.

[14:21] You know what? You don't build something solid in a storm. All you do is hope to get something to survive. The problem when we our faith that triumphs when we don't understand is only available when we have a foundation before the storm happens.

[14:38] To build those things to understand that obedience to God needs to be a regular part of our life. To do this we need to bind God's word close to our heart to understand the importance of it binding to us.

[14:54] You know we're to keep God's word much like it tells us here that we're to bind it about our neck. In other words to have something as a reminder something that is there.

[15:05] It adds beauty it adds attractiveness but it also reveals what's important something that's close to us it's before us. Our life ought to be saturated with the word of God.

[15:17] You know to bind the word of God in our heart. You know the one key to this is intentional and continually exposing ourselves to the word in a multitude of ways.

[15:32] You know think about all the ways today that you can get the word of God to yourself. Number one most important is to read it. You know reading is important for people to be able to understand the word of God.

[15:45] One of the key things of growing is not just hearing but reading. To understand what it says and why he said it and to put that into our everyday life and to put that in by reading by studying by hearing the word of God.

[16:02] You know faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. How we put that in is going to build our faith and it takes to understand the context of these things to spend time in it.

[16:17] You know I don't want to show of hands but let me ask you a question. A lot of times people say well I don't have time to read my Bible. Let me ask you a question. Maybe you need to set most phones have a little thing that will tell you how long you spent doom scrolling.

[16:33] It will actually give you a little report. How many hours did you just stare at the screen? You know the thing about modern technology is it can catch you up. It's like well I just want to check this and then it's like squirreled and next thing you know an hour is gone.

[16:47] Or two hours gone. It's amazing we have time for that. You know what it is? We don't have time for God because we didn't put an intention behind it. I want to encourage you this week next time you find yourself doom scrolling get your Bible out and I'll give you a little clue a hard copy is better than your phone because you know what the best thing you can do is get distracted in your Bible.

[17:07] When you study I don't know if you've ever been distracted in your Bible but when you start studying the word of God you know what happens you start chasing things. It's like oh that verse over here and this one and you get caught up in it you begin you might say positively scrolling your Bible.

[17:25] Instead of doom scrolling on Facebook or Instagram you're putting in something that's beneficial because you know what it'd be to connect those things in your life you know whether this tremendous tool electronic devices are but they can also be a tremendous distraction.

[17:45] We need to understand we must commit to God's word we must do what it says bind it around our neck and integrate it into every aspect of our walk.

[17:57] To immerse ourselves in God's word is far greater value to our time than any other use of it because we build our faith for the moment that is needed.

[18:09] You know consider what Joshua said are that God instructed Joshua in Joshua chapter 1 and verse 8 tells us this this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night and thou mayest observe to do according all that is written therein for when thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success.

[18:32] What are we doing? How are we building on the foundation of the word of God? You know secondly a faith that stands the test here is our focus needs to be upon Christ.

[18:47] You know when the scripture is our foundation our focus will be directed to the Lord. You know when we understand look back in our text here for a moment look down at verse 4 it says show shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man to trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.

[19:15] You know to have the right focus the focus on the word of God when the scripture is our foundation our focus will be on the Lord. The focus on God is vital for strengthening our faith when things don't make sense.

[19:31] Because I want you to understand there's going to be things that come it's like how do I put this together? together. Now I won't ask for a show of hands but how many have had something happen that you ask why? I don't think there's anybody exempt from that.

[19:44] Lord why did this happen or why did you allow it to happen? You know why why why why why? The reality is sometimes we don't know why but we need to get through the storm with the right perspective.

[19:59] Because sometimes we don't learn about the why until way later if we even do. we don't understand what's all happening but if the focus needs to be upon the Lord to trust in the Lord to get a good understanding of what he has for us.

[20:17] You know look over to Hebrews chapter 12 for a moment. Hebrews chapter 12 in verse 1 if our focus is on the Lord we need to trust him but notice what it says it says wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let's lay aside every weight and sin which thus easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of God on the throne of God.

[20:53] You know I want you to see here in Proverbs our focus is on that our focus is on Christ one is to trust him to trust in the Lord now let me ask you something trusting how does trust come about is trust random or is trust intentional that's a great question isn't it when we understand that it intentionally when we trusting God involves intentionally placing our confidence in him leaning in wholeheartedly on him instead of leaning on our own selves you know when things don't make sense we often rely upon how we feel how we think how others think or feel about a situation but the important part is not how somebody else feels about it or what somebody else thinks about it what has God said about it that we need and we can trust and rely upon you know notice what

[21:53] God tells here because the root is of trust is a matter of confidence to say we have confidence in something or someone is to say that we can rely upon that thing or that person you know one reason we can confidently rely on God is that his wisdom and knowledge infinitely surpasses our own you know I think part of the problem we get in we sometimes think we're the smartest person in the room I have the answer I can get through this I can overcome this let me ask you a question how many times have you heard that you can do it you know that's said as an encouragement sometimes but the reality is there's sometimes in life that you can't do it that you need a confidence and a strength in something outside of yourself today's modern world it's all about me me me me me you can you can you can you can I I I but a confident trust in God says him him look over to Isaiah 55 for a moment

[23:00] Isaiah 55 look down at verse 8 this is one of the verses I've thought about a lot this year even in the last few years with a lot of different things look down at verse 8 it tells us this it says for my thoughts for my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways say it the Lord you know oftentimes we think we know what we need to have or how we need to get it or what we need to do but God says that his thoughts are not our thoughts have you ever noticed that way God allows things to happen sometimes doesn't match up with what we think it ought to be we have this!

[23:34] picture little perfect of everything is going to plan out this way and then as soon as it gets wavered we get off to the side we get distracted we get drawn away why because our confidence is what we thought instead of what God has said and when we understand the importance look at verse 9 there in Isaiah 55 it says for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways!

[23:59] higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts you know we can comprehend that today the heavens above the earth you know that's a large number you know when you consider how big the heavens are outside of this little ball floating around that we call earth the vastness of God says my thoughts are higher than the heavens from you notice what he tells him he tells him this dynamic that as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts but you know what sometimes we think well God let me tell you how I want it done you know that's part of our problem because trusting!

[24:45] Him isn't saying God let me tell you how I want it accomplished or what I expect we become God's counselor instead of trusting God look over to Romans chapter 11 for a moment Romans chapter 11 we find here in verse 33 important passage it's this dynamic look here in verse 33 it says oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out for who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counselor you know Romans asked a good question who's been God's counselor in this whole thing God is above!

[25:32] all those this dynamic of what's happening and sometimes we don't understand all that's going on around us we see things in the world around us of poor and needs and we see war and we see suffering and we see wickedness take place you know one of the things people do today well look at all this and how can there be a God if all that's taking place you know there's a God how can he allow poverty war and suffering so at that moment a rough looking man that was homeless walked past by the barber shop's window and the pastor pointed in the man's direction and asked the barber you're a barber and claimed to be a good one how can you allow a man to go unkept and unshaven the barber's reply was he never gave me a chance to cut suffering of this world does not indicate there is no

[26:42] God but that man has made choices to reject him you know that's part of the hard part of the dynamic because people think we're good the Bible says the heart is desperately wicked and who can know it as I've gone through life things people do don't surprise me anymore because you know what it reveals it reveals the wickedness in the heart even people who profess to know God do wicked things it's not a God problem it's a heart problem God allowed them to make a choice and God calls us to trust him with our entire heart it's a wholehearted trust that engages in the totality of our innermost being when it comes to trusting!

[27:18] God we're to hold nothing back you know to truly trust him this kind of wholehearted trust involves both a positive and a negative choice positive is a decision to lean into God as a source of support and substance and negatively it's an intentional choice not to rely on our own understanding because we're going to trust something everybody trusts something the question is when life happens what are you trusting!

[27:47] Are you trusting in yourself are you trusting in the Lord? you know when we understand this dynamic because you know let me ask you a question what are some ways in which we're tempted to lean on our own understanding what's that how you feel a lot of it is we trust what we feel you know we talked about that last week about trusting your gut not always a good thing what other things impact us that draw us to lean on our own understanding what is working hard what's that when you don't get the answer as fast or what you necessarily want you know it's like I'm going to do it myself you know to step in to try to accomplish something Matt directions you know what path are you going to go you know what decision are you going to make what priorities are you going to have and so I mean there's all to say

[28:48] I want to do it but to trust God even when it doesn't make sense is important you know look here at what it says in this in verse five it says trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not on thine own understanding that word lean means to trust or to be supported by you know to lean on our own understanding underscores the reality that not on our own understanding that reality of human wisdom and understanding can never be enough for us we'll always need the wisdom that God can provide you know oftentimes we try to lean on things and it falls over you know it might support you for a little while but pretty soon it collapses but we see the second thing that's important here is to acknowledge him to acknowledge him you know God's not only telling us to trust him but he also tells us to acknowledge him you know look at verse 6 here in our text it says in all thy ways do what acknowledge him acknowledgement has to do with knowledge it implies more than simply recognizing his existence you know we acknowledge people oftentimes we think about acknowledgement like when we greeted people this morning you acknowledge that they're there but I want you to understand it goes beyond that it's not just saying that somebody is around or that you're aware of their presence but it's having fellowship with the one being acknowledged acknowledging the

[30:27] Lord involves being aware of his presence in our daily lives! and getting to know! personally and deeply as we acknowledge the Lord in our ways not just in one area of trial we begin to discern his influence in our lives and see his directing of our paths we need to trust him we need to acknowledge him but we also need to fear him notice here when it tells in verse 7 it says be not wise in thine own eyes fear the Lord and depart from evil you know this expression of acknowledging the Lord is the fear of the Lord you know it directs us to fear him to fear the Lord in this context doesn't mean to be showering and cowering it has honor and respect to honor him to put him as a priority you know to fear the Lord it's a to understood understand this contrast rather than being wise in our own eyes doing what seems right to us even when it contradicts

[31:35] God's word we are to fear the Lord and depart from evil a fear of God is to recognize that he is the one that holds us to account he is the one that sets the way that is right he sees our choices and he will bring a correction when we disobey you know when we fear God as we should we will obey him you know we will obey him the proper fear of the Lord gives us wisdom and understanding we need in our lives you know in times of uncertainty or when following God's instruction just doesn't make sense we need to keep our focus on Christ you know notice what it tells us here is he says this verse seven be not wise in thine own eyes fear the Lord and it shall be health to thy navel and morrow to thy bones honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase so wine you know

[32:42] I want you to see here the importance of this of what God has done the proper fear of the Lord gives us and equips us and in times of uncertainty we need to keep our focus on Christ in doing this by trusting the Lord acknowledging him and fearing him let's take a look go to the book of Ecclesiastes for a moment look at Ecclesiastes chapter 12 here this morning Ecclesiastes chapter 12 and look down at verse 13 you know I want you to just give a little context here make sure people understand where Solomon's coming from with this you know we live in a world today well you just don't understand or you have an experience you know what Solomon experienced everything the world had to offer he had everything you might say that was available to all these different dynamics and at the end of his life he comes back to this conclusion look at verse 13 he says let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear

[33:50] God and keep his commandments for this is what the whole duty of man you know a proper fear of the Lord does give us that wisdom and understanding we need in our life because God is the one that is there when the foundation of our life is rooted in the word of God and focus on Christ we find direction because when we don't know what to do to trust him when we don't know how we're going to walk through it is to understand that our future is directed our future is directed by the Lord as we go through life we're going to face challenges you know you have all sorts of things financial challenges you're going to have relationship challenges you're going to have health challenges you know all of which are going to come to a point where sometimes going to be way too big for you to attempt to handle on your own as you don't have a choice of what's taking place and we see here in

[34:54] Proverbs where we were there Proverbs chapter 3 we see that play out here Proverbs chapter 3 in verse 6 it says and in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths you know we need direction from the Lord as we go through life facing these things we need to understand we need to have the direction to walk through them you know to convince some to understand of trusting and convincing that necessity in our life that he needs to direct us direct what we do and how we accomplish it you know when we acknowledge God he removes the obstacles blocking our way and directs our paths when we can trust the Lord for the seemingly impossible amazing things happen because God also provides there's a provision from the Lord you know God provides everything we need to obey him you know we don't need something else to be able to obey

[36:01] God when we know what God has said God says he's given us all we need to be obedient children to trust him you know to honor the Lord you know to simply put God's promises that we honor him in what we have what we do what we and for our needs to know God is going to Proverbs 3 look at verse 9 it says honor the Lord with thy substance you know I want you to understand that's what you possess but it's also yourself to say how am I honoring God with my life because you know what it starts with you if your heart is right with God what you do with your possessions is going to be right with God because it's going to direct those things you know to understand of honoring the Lord and to give unto him to do what God has wanted us to do or desires for us to do I want you to understand that we need to trust

[37:03] God in our finances trust God in our families to trust God when life doesn't make sense to understand that God is in control God is over and above those things you know this passage is full of promises for believers who desire to walk by faith even when it doesn't make sense you know what chapters 3 and verse 6 and 7 only make sense when you don't know what else to do trust the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding the application of that verse is when we don't when it doesn't make sense to us God says trust me honor me you'll be obedient to me know what I have to say about it you know God gives us all we need for this life the question is where are we going to look for the answer are we going to trust the Lord or trust ourselves and when life doesn't make sense the best thing we can do is to trust the

[38:11] Lord by acknowledging him because trust isn't just intellectual trust is action trusting God says I'm going to trust your instruction even if it doesn't make sense to me or everybody else we have a decision to make about what and whom we're going to trust let's pray