The Provided-for Step
In my mind’s eye, I find myself standing on a dusty half-circle in front of four separate trailheads. I have no understanding of how long or challenging each of these trails are, but I know I need to pick one. Suddenly, my mind begins to race. What if I’m not prepared for what’s ahead? What if it’s too hard? What if I pick one that I hate and there was a far better option?
The questions keep me from picking as time ticks on. The longer I don’t decide, the more uneasy I feel. Not only is my imagination now telling me there’s a far greater and far worse trail amidst these options, but now I’m beginning to doubt whether I even have what it takes to finish any of the trails. Have you ever felt this way when deciding the next path to take in your life, I know I have.
Now, there are a few things that are important for us to remember as we embark on the hike of life. First, anxiety is not of the Lord. Anxiety is a very real thing, but we need to understand where it’s coming from. Feelings of anxiousness are birthed out of worry around the uncertainty of what’s to come. Here’s a truth that’s imperative for us to remember packing before we set out: following Jesus does not take away the uncertainties of the future.
For many, we assume that once we give our lives to Jesus, life will be filled with sunshine and rainbows, and we’ll have a perfectly laid out five-year plan that continues to expand as the days go on. This, for better or worse, is not how God works. “Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).
Following Jesus and knowing His Word (the Bible) gives us light for our next step. In the same way that a lantern breaks the darkness of night in front and around you, God’s Word does so for us. But when we pick our head up and gaze off into the distance, there is still darkness and uncertainty ahead. Here’s the beauty though: once we arrive at the gazed-upon, uncertain place, it will be illuminated with the light of the Word when we are there – and no sooner.
We only have the step ahead of us, friend. So, we can choose to dwell on the uncertain tides ahead, or we can focus on the clarity of the here and now. As we practice trusting in the provision of the Lord, we further bolster our ability to quickly respond in the future now’s to come.
Think of it this way: you could look in chapter 15 of your Algebra 2 book when you’re only in Chapter 3 of Algebra 1 and say to yourself, “I don’t have a chance. Why are there letters in my math equation?” The uncertainty, or in this case lack of arithmetic understanding, would lead you to believe you’re unprepared – and you’d be right. But the student must trust that as he or she continues to engage with the material, chapter by chapter, they will one day arrive to Chapter 15 of their Algebra 2 text ready to be given the next tool or two to add to their toolbox of skills necessary to handle the new equations.
They weren’t ready a year and a half ago for those provisions. They needed, through careful practice, to build on the practice questions they were given today, so as when the tomorrow problem set comes, they would be ready to be provided for in that place.
One of the many Names Jesus has is, Emmanuel – which means God with us. God does not run a mile down the road and wait for us to catch up. He walks with us, hand-in-hand, each step of the way. His provision is for your next step. You can choose to stand still and God will stand there with you. His Light, however, will stay there too. It won’t walk ahead giving you your five-year plan. It will wait for you to take the next provided-for step.
