Walking on the Path

The past week or two has brought some unexpecteds in life. You know, the ones you never see coming but are always thankful for in retrospect. Well, I’m not there yet…I can’t look back. I am in the thick of it, begging the Lord to reveal His will daily. Praying. Hoping. Waiting. Asking. Demanding. Repenting. Weeping. Begging. Whining. Replay…times infinity. This process has robbed me of precious time in His word, on my knees and in fellowship because when I am engaging in those daily activities, it is consistently revolving around this unexpected dilemma and making the right decision.

Confusion is not from Jesus. In fact, I’m realizing more and more just how straight forward He is in His words…His commands. There really is not a whole lot to debate about the Words of Christ; I think that is purposeful…a gentle reminder of His character, and in reality, His sovereignty.

Over the past several days, the frustration of my inability to hear him clearly, my fear of making the wrong decision, my doubts in making the right one…eventually they brought me to a place of straight up frustration. I screamed into the pillow. Jumped in the puddles. Danced in the floods. Wept prostrate before the Lord atop the hair-infested carpet of my little abode. Oh how I need to buy a vacuum!

As I was trying to express some of my pent-up frustrations yet again with a precious sister, out of no where she goes, “Gosh Court, I wish I could just change your personality.” Of course I laugh it off, a little nervousness mixed in at a comment like that. I mean, words kind of escape at that point.

“Well what does that mean exactly?” My sinfulness bites back. “What could you possibly want to change about MY personality?” I humbly think to myself. Good thing I’m used the loving wounds inflicted by her wise words. We both laughed. She explained how she just wishes she could quiet my steady ache to analyze and analyze and analyze everything to the point of exhaustion…frustration. I smile at the thought...if only.

We discuss my need for the Word in moments like this. Then I let it slip that all day I have dreaded even the thought of opening that Book. It’s not like I can hear anything through the noise of my ceaselessly over-analytic thoughts. Confirmation in that verse or a lack there of in the next one. Lord, what are you trying to tell me? That what I have been thinking is not the right decision? What about the words from that song I heard earlier? Perhaps it is the right decision? That verse confirms it…yep I know this is what I am supposed to do…ten minutes later…wait, HOLD on. What about this story Lord? You didn’t have me read this today for no reason. Plus, that conversation I had earlier with that girl…clearly this is not your will for me after all. Back and forth, it never ends. It’s no wonder opening the Word seems so dreadful. Lord I just want to be obedient to you…I want to do your will!!

I heard a sermon yesterday. It’s been permeating through my thoughts ever since. It goes something like this:

As believers, we should never ask God to reveal to us His will for our lives. Huh?

Let’s say you’re walking in the forest one day. You are lost. You ask, “Where is the path at?” When is the only time you are going to wonder where the path is at? Well, I guess if you’re not on it.

So, don’t go off the path. Problem solved.

Just stay on the path…just walk in the will of God. Then the only time you will ever ask what His will for your life is, is when you are not walking in it. Disobedience.

If you obey His commands, you cannot walk out of His will!

Flee from sexual immorality, pray like this, spend time in my word, love me with all your heart, then love your neighbor as yourself…fill in the blank. Obey His commands.

If you, like myself, find yourself asking what God’s will is for your life, the better question would be to ask Him to reveal the areas of disobedience in your life so that you can continue walking in His will.


As you’re walking in the will of God, walking along the path, you obey His commands and as you obey, he directs your steps! In Acts as Paul obeyed God, God led him each step of the way, and as a result the gospel went into Europe for the first time. All of those people never would have heard the gospel if Paul was more worried about figuring out if what he was doing was God’s will for his life, rather then just walking in obedience to the commands God had already given him…walking in His will!
He has put His spirit inside of you!!! How do we follow the sprit of God? We obey his commands. Paul was not just sitting around waiting on the will of God. We don’t wait on the will of god. We walk in the will of God.

Today I am learning to experience beauty of walking in His will rather then begging for Him to tell me what it is. Today, I know what He wants for me to do, after all His commands need not be analyzed. Thank you Jesus for making them clear for all of us who belong to OA…over-analyzers anonymous! Sometimes, I feel like one foot in front of the next is about all I can do for the day. How gracious is He, that today, that is enough. In fact, one foot in front of the next is all walking requires. Hmmm. What an unfathomable gift; we don’t have to do anything to earn our way into God’s will for our lives…obedience to His Word out of an overflowing heart puts us right in the midst of it.

Reveal to me, Lord, the areas of disobedience in my life. Permit nothing to hinder the steady thump of one foot in front of the next. Thank you for allowing me to know you and to walk in your will for my life.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
                                          Proverbs 3:5-6