What Happens When You Focus on the Next Step
Ohhh what we would do to know God’s long-term plan for our lives, right? Or maybe I should just speak for myself here. I feel like I’m constantly craving a big picture plan. It doesn’t necessarily stress me out to not know what my next 5-10 years hold, but I often find myself thinking that I’ve figured it out.
For example, I’ll sense God calling me to embark on a certain project, and then immediately my mind will plot and plan how that project might end up directing my course for the next several years. I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve felt fairly certain that I have figured out what my next several years would look like. Sometimes it has to do with my job, my living situation, my travel plans or my side hustle.
But guess what? Not surprisingly, exactly ZERO of those times have my years played out exactly as I thought they would. And before long, I find myself back at square one, in a sense, feeling a God-nudge to take on a new God-project, and then mentally racing ahead and assuming that I can foresee my life over the next several years based on the outcome of that project. And the cycle repeats again and again.
Is this a terrible cycle to be caught in? Maybe not. But I’m learning that God is not sitting on His throne hoping I can guess what His plan is for me for a long period of time. Rather, He is prompting me through the Holy Spirit and simply seeking my obedience. He craves my closeness, my attention and my obedience today. And then tomorrow. And then the day after that. If God handed over a blueprint for my next 10 years, my desperation to hear His voice and receive His guidance would decrease considerably. In a sermon I listened to on my lunch break yesterday, the pastor said, “God draws near to desperate faith. Desperation is the language of the kingdom.” That begs the question: How desperate would I be for God if I already knew my life plan?
God speaks to us through His Word.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. -Psalm 119:105
Notice, this verse says that God’s Word is a lamp for your feet. When you’re out for a walk on a sidewalk or forest path, you probably move forward one step at a time. Yes? Or do you somehow defy gravity and time travel forward to the end of the path at the snap of a finger? That’s doubtful. When you head out walking, you know that you’ll be traveling step by step. One stride at a time. If it was dark outside, a lamp would illuminate your path for your feet so you could keep making forward progress. A lamp would not be able to brighten the entire sky! It only shows enough to take the next step.
Now transfer that visualization to your life. God’s precious, inspired Word can faithfully guide you as you navigate life. Through Scripture and the indwelling Holy Spirit, God is ready and able to direct your steps. But that’s just it! He provides light for your feet. He shows you just enough to take the next step forward. And once you’ve taken that step, He’ll help you take another. And another. And another. God is certainly able to brighten the entire sky and give you a sneak peek of the entire remainder of your life, but that’s not what He promises to do. Check that verse one more time:
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. -Psalm 119:105
The benefits to this kind of guidance are tremendous. As I’ve already mentioned, by showing us the way step by step, God puts us in position to remain close to Him. When we’re close, we can more easily hear from Him, learn from Him, and see Him at work.
This is what I’m preaching to myself right now! Audrey, don’t get ahead of yourself. Don’t let your wheels get spinning too far forward. There’s no need to know exactly how your next several years will unfold. Trust God, and be content with only knowing your next step. Because guess what? After you’ve taken that step, He will surely show you the next one.
Another thing I have to remind myself in this area that might help you, too… It’s okay to feel God prompting you to do different things in different seasons of life. I’ve always had the mindset of choosing one career and sticking with that for my entire working life. That mindset often carries over when I sense God nudging me to embark on a certain project. Is this His mission for me to pursue for the rest of my life? It might be, it might not be. Maybe God has a specific purpose for you to focus your energy on right now that will shift six months or a year from now. This is why we remain close to God! So that we can always hear His voice and discern His direction for our lives.
When the Israelites were in their wilderness wandering years, God provided them manna (bread) and quail from Heaven each day. They were instructed to ONLY gather what they needed for one day, except on the sixth day, when they would gather enough to feed them on the sabbath, too. Those who disobeyed and tried to collect extra food found their excess filled with maggots the next morning. God was teaching His people to trust in His daily provision. He wanted them near. He wanted them to experience His faithfulness every single day. Just imagine… If they were able to collect enough food for the entire week each Monday, it’s possible that many Israelites would not have thought about God for the rest of the week! But since they had to collect it daily, they had no choice but to think about God daily.
When we stay close enough to God to receive His direction for just our next step, we learn about His faithfulness. We learn to trust Him, and we watch Him provide time after time. God prioritizes closeness over clarity. More than He desires for you to know the blueprint for your next decade, He desires you to be near Him. How will you respond?