Step by Step

A few verses significant to the unexplained events of life became central in counseling this week when I learned of the sacrificial love of a mom. During her pregnancy she learned she had breast cancer. She chose not to receive treatment so that her child would be born healthy – at the cost of her own life she chose to gift life to her baby. Recently, the Lord called her home. She leaves a husband, a three year old, and the baby is now almost one.

This dad planned his life, marriage, children and their future. We all do. We plan our lives and move in the direction we believe is ours to own. We like the overarching picture of what we want and we strategize to obtain it. He certainly did this when they first met, courted, became engaged, planned their wedding, their home and their future.

Would he have made the same choices had the complete picture of the future been given him? We can speculate, but we do not know. God does.

When I consider the difficulties in my own circumstances I wonder how I would have responded should I have seen into the future. How would I have responded? We know grace is sufficient, and we may proudly respond we would have anchored down into Biblical truths – we would have stood steadfast. Humility would know we need to be mindful of our reality.

Because I know my weaknesses, I am grateful to the Lord who establishes my steps. He knows my heart’s desires, He knows my plans. He knows the way I want to go, whether it is right and good for me or not. In His kindness he unfolds his plan step by step. Were He to give me a complete picture when all I was capable of was a step, my trust would not have stood the test. He grows us through providing our sanctification process one step at a time.

The outcome of our steps may not be the picture we had painted, it may be vastly different, as is the unfolding path given to the young father with two very small children. Yet, he can walk the path one step at a time. Step, by step, by step. Looking to God – the author and perfecter of our faith.

• The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps (Proverbs 16:9).

• The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29).

• Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

• Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints (Psalm 116:15).

#trust