“Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21)
Prayer aligns our will and purpose with the will and purpose of God. Through prayer, we receive direction and we understand what God wants us to do.
Sometimes we get derailed by looking for the entire plan for our life. Often, we want to see the big picture. But God usually gives us just the next step in the plan. Just one step. Then the next one. The big important plan often unfolds one step at a time.
At different points in our lives, we may wonder why God doesn’t just show us all the details of his plan for our lives. We feel we could make plans and better understand our lives if we knew more than one step ahead.
In the military, soldiers often follow orders in a battle without necessarily knowing the overall plan. The battle is won by each soldier following their orders without question or doubt. Disobedience in battle could be the difference between a victory and a defeat. The soldiers must trust their commander.
In the same way, we must trust God’s step-by-step instructions. Even though we may not understand where the next step is leading us or why it is important, we must trust the one who gives us our commands. We know it is through God’s power, God’s direction, and God’s wisdom that we are victorious. Because of our trust in God, we take that next step. Then the next step. Again and again. We walk into our purpose and into our victory one step at a time.
Sometimes we worry about missing God’s will for our lives, but if we sincerely want to follow his will, he will make sure we take the right steps. Psalm 25:8 says, “The Lord is good, and glad to teach the proper path to all who go astray.” We may miss God’s will if we insist on disobeying his direction and following our own path. But if we honestly want to follow God, he will make sure we walk in his will, step by step.
Bob Goff said, “What if we found out that God’s big plan for our lives is that we wouldn’t spend so much of our time trying to figure out a big plan for our lives?” What if we don’t worry so much about the big plan, and instead concentrate on loving God, loving others, and taking the next step when God shows it to us?
We’re in a battle. As we pray, we submit our will to the will of God, and he tells us what our next step should be. In effect, he gives us our next order. Taking that next step obediently keeps us moving in the right direction.
So, don’t worry too much about the big plan. Trust God. Love him, love others, and faithfully take that next step as it is revealed.
Dear God, I want to be in your will. I want to live out the purpose and plan you have for my life. Help me be patient in waiting for the next step in my life. When it comes, help me be obedient to take that step even if I don’t totally understand its importance. Let my trust in you grow so that I become more obedient and more confident in your direction. I love you, Lord. I trust you to direct my steps. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Family Worship Center Devotionals 