Proverbs 3:5 NLT — Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

In the 2025 adaptation of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, William Radford is a Homeland Security Analyst with access to every camera and news feed. He uses his omniscient privilege to spy on his pregnant daughter and mischievous son. Even with all the information and foresight, his kids do not want his input into their lives. When aliens invade the Earth, he has to rely on his family to fix their own problems and help him.

No one wants to be near a know-it-all. They act like the most intelligent person in the room, never entertaining the idea that they don’t have it all together. More often than not, people want to see the know-it-all fail. We don’t trust them with our lives and have no faith in their understanding of life.

God seems to be the only person who can appropriately say they are a know-it-all. His reassurance that he understands every facet of life should make us want to draw near and trust him.

We need to relinquish our know-it-all status and transfer it to him. If we have an attitude of superiority and elite thinking inside, it means we don’t trust God as much as we can. When we realize that God’s opinion on our daily decisions is more important than our own, we can start honoring him as our only trustworthy source. And if we can start trusting God, we can see that there are people in our lives he gives to help us.

Figure it Out:

5Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding;

6in all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight.

7Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

8This will bring healing to your bodyb

and refreshmentc to your bones.

Proverbs 3:5-8

  1. Circle all the words and phrases that stood out to you. What makes them noteworthy.
  2. What is God asking us to do?
  3. How do we keep ourselves from obeying this advice?
  4. What promises can we rely on for choosing God’s way over our own?

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