Psalm 37:23-24 (NKJV)
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.”
Have you ever broken a goal into a bunch of small pieces to make it easier and to build up momentum to keep going? Maybe you have to push a car that’s not running and after you get it moving you make sure you keep your feet moving? You may even have had to take slow steps to walk across a log that is over a stream or deep hole?
We can encounter a variety of situations that can be best described as step by step, inch by inch, or even piece by piece. These same situations may also require a lot of patience, motivation, and sometimes even perseverance. We often hear of those who quit at the first sign of difficulty, but of course that could be us we are talking about.
I was introduced to this concept again after I had double knee replacement surgery. This was a little different from my previous surgeries or injuries I had to recover from. I never had to use a walker before and the first time they asked me to stand and then walk, I could see why. My mind immediately wen to a song from an old Christmas movie, “Put one foot in front of the other.”
Some of you may remember this movie and the lyrics that continue with, “Soon you’ll be walking out the door.” The first trip out the door and down the hallway was quite the adventure but was outdone later when the trip included navigating a few steps.
With the years of pain that I had to work through before my surgery, I thought I had planned and decided well until that moment of truth where it was now reality. It was only a very brief moment of regret until I remembered my other recoveries. They all start slow.
We have all been there. Feeling stuck or overwhelmed, with no clear path forward or looking at a steep climb. No Progress happening, no doors opening, feeling a little more than some regret. There is such an emotional roller coaster that we can ride until we see a path ahead.
I’ve had to learn that I had to pause, take a breath, and go to the Lord for strength and guidance. I’m not saying that my pain, discomfort, or situations disappear, but I find some peace that allows me to focus better on the task at hand. I this case it was for rest, healing, and tolerance. Peaceful rest after surgery can be hard but essential for healing, as is being able to tolerate a certain threshold to get things moving correctly.
Thus far my recovery has been going well, and I thank the Lord every day for progress being made. This also gives me a chance to reflect on the past times when I had been through those other trials in my life. Times I had to pause and reach out to the Lord for strength.
There are plenty of scriptures that we can find that allude the finding strength in the Lord. However, this is still only the beginning as we start to move forward to address whatever situation we are in. That beginning is your first step, and you have to decide what the quality of that step will be.
In Proverbs 16:9 we find some guidance, “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” We can make the plans or set the goals, but we should be looking to the Lord for the guidance to lead those steps. It may be more accurate to say that we need to listen for His guidance. In this modern chaotic world, this can be the hardest part, because we know from 2 Kings 19:12 that the Lord’s voice can come in a whisper.
Paying attention for the Lord’s guidance is important as we find in Isaiah 30:21, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it, Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.” He will guide our steps and tell us where to go. We may even feel as if He has taken our hand to lead us or even carry us when we feel we cannot go on.
The opening scripture points out that our steps are ordered by the Lord, and we should delight in His way. Sometimes this is not easy, but we also have assurances that even if we fall, we will not be cast down and we will be upheld by the Lord’s hand. The Lord is there as we put one foot in front of the other, no matter if they are slow and difficult or fast and easily manageable.
Since situations are different or evolving, the keys are patience and steadfastness. Do not give up and try not to get frustrated. Remain focused on the Lord no matter how quickly you are moving forward. Just remember the absence of opposition should not make us overconfident relying on ourselves.
We need to be Peter at the beginning of Matthew 14:29-31, “So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
While we are putting one foot in front of the other, we should keep our eyes fixed on the Lord. But this scripture also shows us that even if we begin to doubt because of the storms in our lives, the Lord is there to reach down and pull us out.
STEP BY STEP
Some days a step in the right direction seems more like a leap,
A new barrier suddenly appears or your path gets exceedingly steep.
There’s so many things that can derail our progress or just slow it down,
Unfortunately turning a once joyous smile into a frustrated frown.
Moving forward can be difficult when no momentum can be gained,
Especially when it feels like your plans and dreams are being chained.
Dear Lord, the day to day grind is really beginning to take a toll,
Preventing me from moving, or completing even one goal.
Dear child, you are using all the little things as an excuse not to try,
Renew your strength to find motivation and write a new battle cry.
In my word you can find the guidance to help rewrite your goals,
Then bring any questions to me in prayer to help address any holes.
No progress is not acceptable you must find a way to restart,
Keep any momentum moving forward and let my love shine in your heart.
You must align all the plans I have for you while you are completing any prep,
Always remember that I will be walking beside you Step By Step.
Simple Faith Christian
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