Proverbs 3:5-6 is a favorite verse of mine. I love memorizing it and sharing a beautiful image of it on my social media page.
“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 make your paths straight.” (NIV)
Key Points
- Proverbs 3:5-6 calls believers to trust God’s wisdom, timing, and direction instead of making their own understanding the final authority.
- Trusting God does not mean we stop planning or making wise decisions; it means we submit our plans and future to Him.
- Waiting seasons can make trust difficult, but God strengthens His people as they learn to depend on Him day by day.
- Distractions can drown out God’s voice, so believers need intentional time with Him to remember His love and listen for His direction.
- Letting go of control becomes easier when we remember God’s past faithfulness and trust Him with the outcome.
It may have been the second verse I memorized when I gave my life to Jesus, right after John 3:16. But over the years, I’ve realized that my go-getter personality makes it hard for me to trust God with “all my heart.” That’s difficult to admit as a woman of faith and a ministry wife. I’m a self-starter who likes setting goals and getting things done. Surrendering the details of my life without knowing what comes next? Not so much. Yet with God’s help, I’m discovering a deeper place of trust in His will, His timing, and His purpose.
Jeremiah 17:7 shows us how important it is for us to trust God instead of ourselves or others, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” We want our confidence to be in God, not in ourselves, but time and again we refuse to let go of control. Why is it so hard to trust in the Lord with all our hearts? The meaning of Proverbs 3:5-6 is not that we stop thinking, planning, or making wise decisions. It means we refuse to make our own understanding the final authority and choose to submit our whole heart, path, and future to God. How do we apply this passage of Scripture to our everyday lives?
What Does Proverbs 3:5-6 Mean?
Proverbs 3:5-6 calls us to place our full confidence in God’s wisdom, acknowledge Him in every part of life, and trust Him to guide our steps. Learning to live out the truth of Proverbs 3:5-6 is possible, and when we do, we will experience peace and confidence like never before. Here are 3 reasons it’s hard to “trust in the Lord with all your heart” and how we can overcome the struggle and live fully surrendered to Him:
1. It Is Hard to Trust God When We Have to Wait
A few years ago, my husband and I decided to schedule a much-needed vacation. We’d been trudging through a difficult season, and we looked forward to a break from it all. We woke up each day counting down the number of days remaining before our anticipated getaway. “64 days left!” we’d say with enthusiasm. We couldn’t wait for our brief respite from the cares of life. A vacation is definitely something to look forward to, but let’s think about those times when we’ve prayed, sought the Lord, and are waiting for some sort of answer. The waiting can feel like it drags on for months or even years. We wake up wondering if today will be the day for our miracle, and the countdown continues with no end in sight.
Waiting makes it hard to trust that God has a plan. We know He is working on our behalf, but as we wait, we become vulnerable to doubt. God has good things for us in the midst of the waiting, not just in the answer. Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) assures us, “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” So the next time we’re tempted to focus on the end result—counting down the days until an answer comes— let’s look for the good in the waiting. God will renew our strength each day as we wait.
2. It Is Hard to Trust God When Distractions Drown Out His Voice
When I’m waiting for God's direction or help with a struggle I’m facing, I have a tendency to fixate on that situation instead of praying about it and letting God handle it. In my effort to stop thinking about it, I will stay as busy as possible. Adding extra things to my schedule or committing to one more project. Instead of spending more time listening to God, I let distractions drown out His voice. God wants us to spend time with Him. He enjoys our company! What a wonderful thought—the Creator of the universe wants a relationship with us. Yet we’re often guilty of filling our time and minds with other things first. Reminding ourselves of how much God loves us will help us focus on hearing Him above the noise of distractions. 1 John 3:1a reminds us,
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
If you’re finding it hard to trust God with your struggle, set aside some time today to think about this verse. Let it draw you closer to the Father so you can hear Him over the noise of your busy schedule.
3. It Is Hard to Trust God When We Want Control of the Outcome
Making decisions doesn’t come easily for me. I overthink life’s daily choices, like what to cook for dinner or whether to enroll my kids in little league. And those big, life-changing decisions? They can cause anxiety to rise. I battled decision-making anxiety or “decision-making stress for many years. Then the Lord showed me that my challenge with decision-making came from a deeper issue. I wasn’t trusting Him with the outcome.
When we make a decision, we want to know that everything will turn out okay. So we can choose based on the expected outcome rather than God’s sovereignty. We have an idea how we want things to work out, which makes it hard to trust God with seemingly impossible situations. Reminding ourselves of God’s faithfulness in the past will help us trust Him with our future.
“For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.” - Psalm 48:14
Think of a time when you couldn’t see a way out, but God guided you through it. In the same way God was faithful then, He is faithful now. Let’s release the need to know how it will work out, and trust that God’s got this.
Bible Verses to Help You Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart
If any of these reasons why it’s hard to trust with all your heart resonate with you, you’re not alone. There is hope, and it begins with looking at even more truth from Scripture about how trustworthy our God is. Here are a few verses to commit to mind for those times when waiting, distractions, or our own expectations get in the way of trusting the Lord:
- “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” - Psalm 9:10
- “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’” - Psalm 31:14
- “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” - Proverbs 29:25
Are you having a tough time believing God is working in your waiting season? Or have you been praying but don’t sense God speaking to you or giving you direction? Maybe you’re looking for some assurance in the outcome. Whatever is keeping you from trusting Him with your whole heart today, God desires not just a part of you, but all of you. Blessings await as you take that step of faith into His loving care.
The next time we’re struggling to let go and fully trust God, let’s recite the words of Proverbs 3:5-6 with renewed purpose! Let’s believe it for what it is: God’s voice beckoning us to trust Him in whatever situation we face. May we be forever changed as we give all our hearts over to Him.
Frequently Asked Questions about Proverbs 3:5-6
- What does “trust in the Lord with all your heart” mean?
It means placing your full confidence in God’s character, wisdom, timing, and direction rather than relying solely on your own understanding or on a desire for control. - Does trusting God mean I should stop making plans?
No. Trusting God does not mean you stop planning or making wise decisions. It means you hold your plans with open hands and submit them to God’s will. - Why is it hard to trust God completely?
It can be hard to trust God because we do not like waiting, we get distracted by life’s noise, and we often want assurance that everything will turn out the way we hoped. - How can I trust God while I am waiting?
You can trust God while waiting by praying honestly, remembering His past faithfulness, meditating on Scripture, seeking wise counsel, and looking for His daily provision. - What Bible verses help us trust God more?
Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 17:7, Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 9:10, Psalm 31:14, Proverbs 29:25, and Psalm 48:14 all encourage believers to trust God’s wisdom, presence, and faithfulness.
Click Here or the Image Below to Download the Accompanying Guide
For Further Reading
- When Trusting God Feels Hard
- Just the Next Step
- 5 Ways to Let Go and Let God Handle Your Life
- 5 Ways to Thrive While Waiting on God’s Timing
- Trusting God When Life Hurts
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Alexander Zvir
