I started reading Proverbs again, and before I even got into the wisdom itself, something about Solomon stood out to me. We usually talk about Solomon as the wisest man who ever lived. But think about who Solomon actually was. He was the son of David and Bathsheba. Yes. That David and Bathsheba. David saw Bathsheba, wanted her, slept with her, and eventually arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed in battle. Their first child died. Later they had another son. Solomon. And that son eventually became king of Israel. But when Solomon became king, God gave him an incredible opportunity. God basically told him: Ask Me for whatever you want. 🤯 Think about that. Solomon was a king. He could have asked for: 💰 Money 👑 Power ⏳ A long life ⚔️ Victory over his enemies Instead, Solomon asked God for wisdom. He basically told God: I have all of these people depending on me, and I need to know how to lead them. And God was pleased with his answer. So God gave Solomon extraordinary wisdom. 📖 That makes the beginning of Proverbs hit a little differently. Because Solomon eventually writes: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7 In other words: Before the money advice. Before the relationship advice. Before the warnings about temptation. Before the lessons about work, anger, pride, discipline, sex, friendship, parenting, or success… Solomon starts with God. And I think I understand why. Because Solomon had something most of us spend our entire lives trying to get. 💰 Wealth 👑 Power 🏆 Success 🧠 Intelligence 🏛️ Influence He had all of it. And yet Solomon’s own life eventually became proof that knowing wisdom and living wisely are not the same thing. That might be the part of Solomon’s story that hits me the hardest. The man who taught people wisdom eventually stopped following some of the wisdom he knew. Solomon took many wives. Some worshiped other gods. And eventually Scripture says they turned his heart away from God.

💔 You feel convicted when you sin 🙏 Prayer is becoming more natural 📖 You understand Scripture differently 🚫 Old habits no longer feel comfortable ❤️ You forgive people faster 🕊️ You choose peace over revenge ✝️ Your life is slowly beginning to look more like Jesus Transformation does not always happen in one dramatic moment. Sometimes it is recognizing that the things you once loved no longer control you.

You believe in God. You pray. 🙏 You know He is in control. You know the Bible says to trust Him. But you still feel anxious. Your mind keeps thinking about: 🔲 What if something goes wrong? 🔲 What if I lose my job? 🔲 What if I don’t have enough money? 🔲 What if my relationship falls apart? 🔲 What if my health gets worse? 🔲 What if I’m making the wrong decision? 🔲 What if God doesn’t come through? And then comes the second problem. Not just anxiety. Guilt. Because somewhere along the way, many Christians were told: “If you really trusted God, you wouldn’t be anxious.” And when you read verses about trusting God, you can see why that question comes up. 📖 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 Then Jesus says: 📖 “Take no thought for your life…” Matthew 6:25 And He tells us to look at the birds and the lilies. 🐦🌸 They don’t worry about tomorrow. God takes care of them. So then the question becomes: If I’m worried, does that mean I’m not trusting God? And if not trusting God is wrong… Does that mean my anxiety is a sin? That question can become its own kind of prison. Because now you’re not just anxious about your money, your family, your health, or your future. You’re anxious about the fact that you’re anxious. And now you feel guilty too. 📌 But here’s something important: Feeling something is not automatically the same thing as choosing something. Think about the night Jesus went to Gethsemane. Jesus knew what was coming. He prayed: 📖 “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” Matthew 26:38 He experienced genuine anguish. He asked the Father if the cup could pass from Him. And yet Scripture tells us: 📖 “[He] was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 So maybe the question isn’t simply: “Am I anxious?” Maybe the deeper question is: “What does God actually tell me to do with my anxiety?” Because the Bible doesn’t just say, “Don’t worry.” It gives us a bigger picture.

Name at least one person in the Bible whose name God changed. What was their original name, and what name did God give them? 👇 For example: Abram → Abraham Can you name another person? Drop your answer in the comments! ⬇️ 📚 Why would God change someone’s name? In the Bible, a name change could represent a new identity, a new purpose, or a new calling from God. When God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, He was showing something about the future Abraham had been called into. The name change was connected to God’s promise that Abraham would become the father of many nations. Other biblical name changes also mark important moments in a person’s relationship with God. Sometimes God changes a person’s name because He is showing them who they are becoming—not simply who they have been. 👇 Now your turn: Who else in the Bible had their name changed?

They did not hear what God told you. They did not feel what God placed on your heart. They do not know what He is preparing you for. Stop trying to explain your obedience to people who were never part of the conversation. Fear God, not man.