Words of Encouragement

Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. – Proverbs 3:5-12

Is there healing for the soul? Obedience brings healing. The subtitle for this Proverb in one Bible is “The Rewards of Wisdom”. The writer of this Proverb is encouraging the reader how important it is to seek godly wisdom. This Proverb starts off saying “son” do not neglect or forget the things you have been taught. Keep these things so that your life may be long and filled with the peace of God.

These very first verses reminds us of the importance of speaking to your children about godly things and reminding them to be mindful of what is right. It does not matter if they are your natural children, or those that come as “new babes” in Christ and you are the one mentoring them on this walk. However they come to be in your life, it is important to encourage them to continually seek the wisdom of God.

The verses now turn to today’s scripture. When we trust in God and do not lean to our own understanding, God will make our paths straight. Now that does not mean that life won’t take what seems to be some curves here or there, but the difference is when we allow God to lead, our lives are on his straight path. When we become wise in our own eyes, we set ourselves up for heartache, disappointments, missed opportunities and so much more.

The reward for seeking godly wisdom is we will turn away from sin and evil deeds and we will begin to experience the healing affects on our body. This is not only true in the spiritual sense but also even in the natural. When we use wisdom and turn away from those “habits” and “rituals” of our lives, we can begin to see the physical effects of using wisdom. If a person eats too much begins to use wisdom and learns to deal with the emotions behind the eating, seeks God for strength, then the affects of seeking that wisdom are felt both spiritually and physically. The same thing is true for any habit. If godly wisdom is sought (and we stop depending on ourselves) the habits can be broken and we can be set free. There is healing in freedom.

So today, my prayer is that we would seek godly wisdom in all that we do. May we honor our Lord and when he corrects us for our transgressions, let us accept that he is a loving father that disciples his children. He does not do it to harm us, but to put us back on his straight path. Is there healing for the soul? There is healing in obedience to God. It brings healing to the body, the soul, the spirit and the mind.