Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV):“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.”
Have you ever experienced the discomfort of relying on crutches? I vividly recall a day in high school when a spirited game of volleyball led to a rolled ankle, leaving me hobbling through the hallways on those metal supports. While crutches served as a temporary aid, they were far from a lasting solution.
Just as physical crutches proved exhausting, there have been moments in my my walk with Christ where I found myself hobbling alongside my own understanding and strength. It’s a draining experience, much like relying on crutches, as my arms tire, my body fatigues, and my heart aches.
Spiritual crutches can take various forms – reliance on our plans, solutions, or seeking comfort in temporary fixes. It’s a tendency we all share, yet it’s not the way God intended us to navigate our life with Him.
Psalm 23:4 beautifully contrasts spiritual crutches with God’s shepherding staff: “For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Unlike the temporal relief of crutches, God’s staff provides enduring peace, allowing us to live as He intended – in harmony with Him.
In real life, crutches offer temporary relief as the body heals and eventually learns to walk on its own. However, when we lean on life’s spiritual crutches, we’ll never experience true healing. The pain lingers, and we’re unable to put pressure on our wounds.
Praise be to God, for He doesn’t offer us spiritual crutches to try and heal ourselves. Instead, He grants us the profound gift of Himself. He invites us to hobble alongside His shepherd staff – a place of strength, protection, and unconditional love.
While the temptation may arise to pick up those spiritual crutches and lean on our understanding, let us pray for the strength to lean on God, to trust Him with all our hearts, and to find rest in His arms and shepherd staff.
So, today, every morning, and every moment, let’s choose to lean on Him rather than our crutches. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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