Obedience begins with one step

Ronald Reagan reminded us, "We are never defeated unless we give up on God." So many times, we announce that we are 'defeated' in one sense or another, not realizing that our real problem is that we 'gave up' on something God told us to hold onto. We actually give up on him because the road got a bit too bumpy, or the issues got a little tougher to handle than we wanted to deal with. The real issue is that we aren't the ones dealing with those issues - he is - we just couldn't wait to see how he'd handle them!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Whenever we seek to understand things through what our own mind interprets, we are missing what only our spirit can understand. The ways of God are very often beyond what our mind can comprehend - we need the Spirit of God, working on our spirit, to help us understand fully what God is doing. All God asks of us is that we 'seek his will in all we do' - then we let him show us the path we are to take. The next steps are up to us - either we step out in obedient faith down the path he has laid out, or we stubbornly choose our own way.

God's ways are not always transparent, but he isn't about to lead us in a direction that is contrary to his goodness, grace, or protection. We might experience bumps along the way, but they are nothing compared to the privilege of seeing that course all the way through. There is much to be learned in the journey - be open to what he will teach along the way. We might not think we have much to learn, having already seemingly walked that path before, but even a path walked several times over is still able to bring new insights each time it is walked in obedient faith.

The path begins with intense trust. Not in our own abilities or capacity, but in the truth that God will never leave us or forsake us. His faithfulness isn't fickle. The direction he gives isn't 'ill-planned' or 'poorly executed'. If we can't trust when we do not see, we will never walk where we have never trod! Just sayin!