When God leads you, it doesn’t mean the path will always be an easy one to follow. It may be hard to see. You may feel unsteady on your feet or even lost in your surroundings.

Keep going.

This trek might be difficult since there are no handrails or benches to rest on. There aren’t even any signs to warn you of danger. It feels like you’re out here on your own.

But are you?

When God leads, you can be certain He goes with you. You can have faith in His unwavering love, His righteous right hand holding your own.

Protecting. Guiding. Strengthening.

He will keep you from falling, strengthen your knees so they don’t buckle, and infuse you with such peace and purpose that you wouldn’t dream of turning back or letting go of His hand.

The Holy Spirit will whisper truth and encouragement to your heart should you grow weary, reminding you of the familiar words you tucked away before you set out on this journey. You spent time with the Lord reading His Word. You surrendered to Him. He knows you, and you know Him.

And so, you keep walking on this treacherous path as night begins to press in around you.

Slowly, you keep moving forward, walking by faith in your God, not by your limited sight. You can’t see much. The light is shifting as darkness moves in. You can’t tell what lies ahead.

But you keep going, knowing God has a purpose for you here. You’re thankful He’s called you, and your heart praises Him. You can’t imagine walking this path without Him.

Suddenly, the darkness grows too thick, so you stop. Before reaching for your light, you wait.

You wait for God to lead.

You wait to hear His voice.

You wait for His directions.

It’s while you’re waiting in the dark that you hear the cries, the sobbing. The hopelessness pricks your skin, and the heaviness of despair sinks into your bones. The agonizing pain penetrates your heart.

You recognize the lost because you were once lost, too.

You turn on your light and reach out your hand, knowing this person dangling from a cliff in the dark is the reason you came. This precious soul is WHY the Lord led you along this perilous journey.

Why you had to wait.

Why you had to stand still in the dark.

Why you had to trust Him when things didn’t make sense.

What love the Father has for us all, to equip one child to go after another. And what joy we have to walk home together.

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.” (Luke 15:4-6a NIV.)

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