"Let not your heart be hasty"

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Mr. Bultitude

Puritan Board Freshman
[BIBLE]Ecclesiastes 5:2[/BIBLE]

I have a hard time understanding this verse in light of the privilege of being able to freely approach the throne of grace. Can anyone help with the exegesis of the verse?
 
This verse speaks to me as I'm prone to pass judgment on God's providence, saying rash words like, "This is an awful mistake." Case in point: a married couple were friends and neighbors. One of these was a gem, a spiritual giant, a blessing to all who crossed his path. The other was evil exhibit A+, giving new meaning to the doctrine of total depravity. The spiritual giant died prematurely with much suffering, leaving the other to continually inflict problems on the local body of believers. My gut response was to regard this as a providential error. But a verse like this tells me to shut my mouth, since God is smarter than I am. He sees the big picture.
 
A person can be rash in making promises before God that they may later regret of be unable to fulfil them. One thinks of the rash vow of Jephthah in Judges 11. I am also conscious of what people pray for during prayer meetings. I have listened to some people praying and wondered if they knew the way the Lord might answer that prayer, would they be so keen in their prayers in the first place?

For instance, John Newton's hymn below. We pray for the Lord to bless us but the Lord may use pain or trial in order to bless us. If we are prepared for that then fine, but if not then better not to pray at all than to pray rashly.

I take from this verse to consider and be careful when praying. Don't pray for things you are not prepared to pay for, don't make promises you can't fulfil. In short, think before you pray.

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.

’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
“’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”
 
That was a very interesting example Leslie, food for thought.
In the past I would say in prayer for a particular weakness or fault I kept seeing pop up in my life, "Lord I will not do that again" and then find myself do it again and kick myself. I try to choose more words more wisely now, though I still often kick myself!
 
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