The book of Proverbs is known as the book of Wisdom. It can be obscure if we simply read the English translation. Often, the original language means a totally different thing altogether.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬. - Prov 3:5-6
We often think that this verse is talking about us acknowledging God in all our ways so that He can show us the path we should go.
The Old Covenant is the New Covenant concealed. The New Covenant is the Old Covenant revealed. In the OC, God directed His people from the outside, because it wasn't relational (they were not yet born again with the Spirit abiding in them). In the NC, God 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 us from the inside, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥. Until we realise what it means to have Christ in us, we will still separate ourselves from God, when we have already been joined as one (1 Cor 6:17). This is a vital difference from religions.
In the Hebrew, the word 'ways' is דֶּרֶךְ (derek) and the word 'paths' used in this context is also דֶּרֶךְ (derek). It means 'the course of life'.
The word 'acknowledge' in the Hebrew is 'yada', which means intimate knowing (used in Gen 4:1). The word 'direct' in Hebrew is actually 'yashar', which means 'upright' (used in parallel at times with the word 'tsadiyq', which is 'righteous').
Putting them together... Prov 3:6 becomes '𝐈𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 (𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬).' (cross-ref: Jer 31:9; Prov 9:15; Isa 40:3)
John made the course of life 'yashar' for Christ to come (Matt 3:3). Now that Christ is here and living in us, He has made us righteous and will lead us from within to walk in righteous course of life, whichever path you take. Maybe we should stop asking Him for a direction, and start manifesting His kingdom (righteousness; Matt 6:33; Rom 14:17) where we are, and all these things (including direction) will be added to us.
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