Trusting God for Victory

Proverbs 21:29-31
A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the upright gives thought to his ways. No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel, can avail against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. Proverbs 21:29-31 ESV

The swagger of sixteen-year-old boys is pretty amazing. It struts. It brags. It boasts. It dares. Nothing is stronger, or better than a sixteen-year-old's swagger.

With that in mind, Proverbs 21:29-31 addresses the arrogant swagger of the “I’ve got this” mentality. The psalmist paints a picture of the type of guy we all know. A guy who radiates arrogance. One who is manipulative, morally wrong, and an overall bad person. He stands proud. He is sure he will win every competition. On top of that, he imposes his will on others. Like  teenage swagger, he struts, brags, and dares anyone to challenge or stop him.

But, swagger is not the only person in the picture. Standing near him is the upright. The righteous. The straight. He stands in stark contrast to the bent one beside him. The upright man is not as quick to boast. He considers the journey before him. He understands that not everything is easy. He knows life is hard. He has learned that no skill, no amount of intelligence, and no self-made plan can hold up against the Lord. Preparation and strength are not enough because ultimately God always wins. He has come to rely on the truth that God is his deliverance. His rescue. His help and his salvation.

Like me, you may have some swagger in your life you need to take care of. You know, those areas you think you can manage and control. Those places where you feel like “I’ve got this.” It might be at your job or with your finances. I know at one time I thought I had parenting down pat and then I had teenagers. Swagger is just another word for pride. If we all look deeper into our hearts, we will find some aspect of pride hanging out (Psalm 139:23-24).

Also, maybe you are like me and God has made those places crumble before you, ultimately forcing you to seek deliverance from Him. Perhaps, you too are on a journey learning to rely less on skill, intelligence, and planning and to rely more on the Lord. Jesus states it this way in Luke 9:23, "And he said to all, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" ESV. The upright man understands his need. His weakness. His dependence. 
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The psalmist doesn't leave the picture with just the two men, he adds a third, the Lord. The victor. The savior.  No matter how strong the enemy's army is, God is stronger. No matter how long the battle lasts, God wins. The truth of these verses give us hope that no matter what we are facing, God is by our side fighting with us. And, even more importantly, He always wins. The battle still needs to be fought, but the victory belongs to the Lord.

Personally, I find great comfort in knowing that when I am struggling, I can trust God. No matter what I face He will get me to where He wants me to be. His purpose will always prevail. God wins in the end. 

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