When You’re in the Middle of a Mess: Knowing God’s PlanHow do we know whether something or not is God’s plan and what he wants us specifically to do. Before I continue, I want to say that God works things that are not his first choice for us into his overall plan for our lives.Subscribe on YouTubeIf you’ve made mistakes, God has allowed for that option in his plan. I have a video with a review on a science fiction novel that illustrates Molinism, an explanation of how God foreknows all things, including all outcomes that are possible with free will human beings, and works his good end incorporating those choices.

But we aren’t talking about that here. What we are talking about is when you are considering embarking on an effort and aren’t sure if this is something that you should do or be involved. Proverbs 3:5-6 states:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,All that chapter gives excellent advice for living a good life, but I want to focus on verse 6, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct  your paths.” Other translations render the “direct” as “make smooth.” I take the second part of verse six to me that God will not only guide you, but open the way, make smooth the path.And lean not on your own understanding;6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He shall direct your paths.[1]But what about the first half of verse six, “in all your ways acknowledge Him?”  What does that mean. Up until the time I started writing this lesson and typed the previous paragraph, I have always taken that verse to mean to publicly acknowledge God in what you do, not to be a hidden Christian. And that is probably also true, but I don’t think is the main meaning of the verse.

The verb translated as “acknowledge” is the Hebrew word yada. This is the Strongs description:יָדַע yâdaʻ, yaw-dah'; a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.):—acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, × could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, be learned, lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, × prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), × will be, wist, wit, wot.After reading that, what are your thoughts? It seemed to me that it is more about seeking God’s will first, asking him to guide and direct  you. Then I went to my go-to translation when I want to read the most literal translation in English, which is Young’s Literal Translation. This is how verse 6 is translated:

In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.

Which seems to be in agreement with understanding the verse as “have knowledge of God” in everything that you do.

So what does this look like practically? I’ll be honest, I don’t always do this before I get myself involved in things. I will be asked by a friend to do something and it is something that I think is a good thing and something I can do, and I don’t think twice about jumping in and helping. To be honest, I can think of several times just in the past year when I’ve done this and doing that thing because someone asked for help delayed, if not derailed,