I’ll tell you about my panic attack somewhere in the middle of this article.
It happened while I was listening to the book of Proverbs. So, to start, here’s what the book of Proverbs is and isn’t.
1. The Proverbs are not a glorified self-help book.
There’s a certain section of influencers on social media who have realized the book of Proverbs is true. They’ll often quote Solomon like he’s Stephen Covey.
Yes, Proverbs is full of wisdom and practical tips on building a successful life. But is that really the only reason God put the book in the Bible?
2. The Proverbs are not the same as other ancient wisdom proverbs.
There are ancient African proverbs, Native American proverbs, Chinese proverbs, Japanese proverbs, and proverbs from every culture in time and space.
While those proverbs are probably helpful, they aren’t inspired. God’s Proverbs are inspired by the Holy Spirit and written for our correction and our direction.
3. The book of Proverbs fits within the overall narrative of scripture.
It’s easy to rip Proverbs out of its context. Maybe this book doesn’t fit within the context of all of scripture? The story of the Bible is that God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—loves the crown of His creation so much that He made a way for us to be redeemed and reconciled to a relationship with Him.
A surface-level reading of the Proverbs leads us to believe that the book is out of place and not really fitting within that overarching narrative. This is not true.
4. The book of Proverbs is the most needed book for Christians in the West today.
This is an opinion, but I want you to think about this with me…
Are the majority of Christians today depending on the Holy Spirit at every level of their lives?
Or are the majority of Christians today disconnected from God throughout their days and in their decisions?
Are the majority of Christians today operating in peace?
Or are the majority of Christians today operating in anxiety?
I believe the book of Proverbs positions us to be people connected to the Holy Spirit and full of peace. Now, let me tell you about my panic attack.
It’s not been an easy year in the Moore household. I could go on and on about the subtle difficulties we’ve faced, but I won’t. Just know that we’ve been in the middle of a storm, and it seems like that storm is never-ending.
A few weeks ago, I was mowing our yard and listening to the Proverbs. I was desperate to “clean some things up” in my life in order to live a more fruitful life so that maybe, by my wisdom, I could solve some of these issues we’ve been facing.
So I’m listening, chapter by chapter.
I can feel my heart start to race a little more. I’m getting angry.
I’m getting frustrated that I can’t quite “get it.”
With every line, I’m met with the reality that I’ve messed it up and I’ve been the opposite of a “wise person.”
I start to feel hopeless. Can I really overcome all of this? There are at least 40 growth areas I need to address for our lives to improve. How can I do that? That’s not possible!?
At just the right time, our lawnmower stops working.
My internal operating system hits 1,000. I shove away the lawnmower, rip my headphones out, and look for silence as fast as possible.
“Did God’s Word really just lead me to a panic attack?” I wonder.
I take a seat and catch my breath.
Eventually, I go back to mowing, but without listening to the Proverbs. I’m defeated, hopeless, and left wondering if anything will ever change in me or in my life again.
I wish that were dramatized.
I can’t remember when I told my wife, but I do remember her being upset I didn’t tell her sooner. Understandably so, I was going through it for a few days without letting her in.
But she met me with grace, nonetheless.
During our conversation, it dawned on me.
And this is important, so stay with me here.
Right before my panic attack, I was the closest I had been to Jesus in months.
The intensity of desperation.
The hopelessness.
The sadness so thick I was about to break.
The anger and hurt.
The longing for help.
All of that is the Holy Spirit speaking to me, saying, “You are not enough. You’ll never be enough. You’ll never figure this out on your own. You need JESUS.”
But in my self-focus, I missed the last part.
Brothers and sisters, we need to not miss the last part.
5. Above all, the book of Proverbs points us to our desperate need for Jesus.
With every Proverb, we’re met with a standard that’s impossible to keep. Sure, some of us may be better at keeping a few of them than others. However, we all fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
The Proverbs shine a spotlight on our desperate need for Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. They are nuanced. They are all-encompassing.
We read them and see how far we are from fully doing life God’s way.
This can send us into panic.
Or it can send us into God’s presence.
6. The book of Proverbs invites us into life in step with the Holy Spirit at every level of our lives.
Nuance requires God’s Spirit and wisdom.
How would your life change if you operated with the Holy Spirit at every level?
Every conversation—
Every decision—
Every project—
Everything?
The book of Proverbs invites us into wisdom in the secret places of our life.
But not if you do what I did. I viewed the book as a self-help book I needed to grit my teeth to follow. God wants us to submit our lives to Him and say, “I need your help here!” We are the problem, we can’t also be the solution.
You’ll never be met with God’s grace and the wisdom and presence of the Holy Spirit if you’re goal when you read the Proverbs is to fix your problems. You’ll be overwhelmed by your own flaws, and you’ll quickly be defeated. That was never God’s intent with the book.
May you experience God at every level this week,
Brandon Moore
Thanks for this. I try to go through the psalms and proverbs as part of my monthly reading
Is your book still available on travel sports/the church? If so, where can I find it?
I am reading the book of Proverbs with a group at the moment.