~ written by Connie Dunmyer
We finally know why The Leaning Tower of Pisa is leaning… 
The graphic designer pressed the “ITALICS” key on accident.
If the Tower of Pisa ever falls, they'll have to pick up all the Pisas.
Did you hear about the Leaning Tower of Pisa? It collapsed, so now it’s called the “I-Fell Tower”.
One of the greatest highlights of my travels was in Italy. We drove through the crowded streets of Pisa, and found a place to jam our little car into. We were accosted by myriads of people trying sell us stuff. But as we rounded the corner to look into Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), we caught our first sight of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was so surreal – almost an out-of-body experience. I couldn’t believe I was actually standing there looking at it. We took all the fun touristy pictures. We climbed to the top. We were at the top when they played the bells (amaaaazing!). And we learned about how and why the tower leans. It was not built on solid ground. It could not be supported. In an effort to "fix" it - builders made the upper floors taller on the uphill side, rather than dealing with the source of the problem. Hmmmm - sound familiar?
So it begs the question? Do I have a firm foundation? Am I standing straight? Or am I leaning? What do I lean on? What do you lean on?
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge [submit to] him, and he will direct your paths.
This is truly one of my favorite passages. And yes – I think this one has been planted deep in my heart, a firm foundation.
In the original Hebrew, “in all your ways acknowledge him” is more literally “in all your ways KNOW him”. This fundamental statement of how to relate to God implies more than mere reverence. Nodding in God’s direction is not enough. I must know him by living closely with him, relating to him personally in every aspect of my life.
I take note of the word ALL. I cannot trust in God SOMEtimes. I cannot trust Him here and there. I cannot trust God if I’m trying to figure it all out by myself. That’s not trust at all. No – I need to release, relinquish, and KNOW that God is doing something TRUSTWORTHY – whether I ever see it or not.
Again, that word ALL. I cannot SOMEtimes, or only in CERTAIN ways, Acknowledge / Submit / Know God. It has to be ALLways, ALL times, … I need to lean into the Father. To completely let go. To KNOW that our Sovereign God is in control – doing a good thing (for me and others). And that in ALL this process, He IS directing my steps on paths He has formed for me.
Isaiah 26:3-4 – You will keep him in perfect peace, him whose mind is stayed on You [steadfast] because he trusts You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, JEHOVAH, is the Rock eternal [for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength].
The word “stay” in old English means to lean on for support or to rest upon. It’s the same sense as when you “stay” a ladder against a wall — you’re depending on that wall to hold you up. The ladder cannot stand on its own. It requires the wall.
Think of the ladder as being my heart, my life, my circumstances. My “ladder” cannot stand on its own. Oh I may be able to balance for a little while, but I will never be able to “climb” it. It will never be useful in my efforts to balance it myself. Not without the power and strength of the immovable wall. We often use the term “lean into”. This is more than just leaning with a listening ear – it’s putting the full weight of my heart, my life, my circumstances, my joys, my sorrows – onto “the wall” – onto Jesus. The only power, the only peace, the only safe space.
One of the things I tend to lean upon are my feelings. (Spoiler alert: big mistake.) Because let’s face it, emotions have a mind of their own. Emotions are neither right nor wrong – they just ARE. But if I don’t know how to control them, my emotions WILL control me.
"When we are controlled by our emotions, we are giving Satan control. All he needs to do is give us a bad feeling and we behave accordingly. That’s why we need to learn to live beyond our feelings. We can forgive those who hurt us if we are willing to do so. We can pray for our enemies whether we feel like it or not. We can talk to people or refrain from talking unkindly about them. You can’t wait to feel right to do right—you do right and the feelings come later. They may still fluctuate, but your emotions will improve as you persist in being obedient to God’s will. Whether you feel like it or not, be quick to obey, and God will bless you in incredible ways." ~ Joyce Meyer
So I must not lean on my feelings – because I may well be betrayed by them. I must learn to do what’s right even when I don’t feel like it. Not leaning on my own understanding – but onto the Word of God.
That’s what trusting God is all about. Trusting that “His ways are not my ways” (Isaiah 55:8-9) – and that’s actually a good thing. Because ALL His ways are perfect… even though I will likely not understand them.
Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
So no more “ladder-balancing”, no more “leaning towers”. I will rather lean upon the Lord alone. I know I can trust that Jehovah, the God of the Universe, Creator and Lover of my soul, Who not only KNOWS my need, but cares, and is ACTIVELY ordering my steps for my good.
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© 2025: Connie F. Dunmyer, All Rights Reserved.