“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  This verse from Proverbs (3:5-6) came to my mind today as I was reading the passage from Jeremiah.  I love passages that speak of trusting God because they are so filled with promise.  God offers us so much and all that we have to do is accept it and trust that his plan for us is amazing.  It may not always be easy and He never promises that the straight path he lays out for us will be the simplest; in fact, that’s kind of the point. 

I was speaking to a friend of mine last night about this.  She said that she was trying to give her fears to God and follow the path he had laid out for her.  I agreed with her saying, “even though I don’t know where the path is headed.”  But, today reading Jeremiah, I am reminded that I don’t need to know—that isn’t my job.  My job is to trust him and put my hope in him and, in return, he promises blessings. 

As I type this I am reminded of a song with a lyric that goes, “Just hold onto the promises, hold onto the promises.  Jesus is alive, so hold tight, hold onto the promises” (Sanctus Real, “Promises”).  That’s what this passage is: a promise that, when we put our trust in God, he will protect us.  Just like Jeremiah mentions the tree that does not need to fear when the heat comes (verse 8), we too do not need to fear when the troubles of this world come against us.  Just hold onto the promises.