ONE STEP AT A TIME

Little babies learn to walk one step at a time. As parents, we encourage our little ones to try it, coaxing them to go one step, then another, and then across the room. It is a joy and a delight to watch them trust and step out.

So it is with us. Our walk with Jesus is one step at a time. At first, it is a bit tentative. But after a bit, our confidence grows and we begin to walk, possibly run, with the Spirit. And then, we can walk without even thinking about it. It is muscle memory and it’s part of our daily life.

However, there are times when we need to get back to the basics. We either got distracted, lost our way, dimmed our focus, put our walk on the back burner or just plain given up. Beginning at the beginning is the first step to starting over.

And it pleases God.

We are to carefully determine what pleases Him (Ephesians 5:10) and keeping in step with Him definitely does.

Taking one step at a time is the only way to walk. Even with short legs, or long, we walk one foot in front of the other. Last time I checked, people do not take leaps down sidewalks, long jump through hallways nor sprint their way through the daily grind. It is one step at a time – for all of us. Granted, some are speed walkers and some meander, but the method is the same – placing one foot in front of the other. Left, right. Left, right. And so on.

When we walk with the Spirit, we do the same. We keep our lives in forward motion, doing one thing at a time. We do the next thing. We read Scripture, every day; that is one thing. We pray; that is another. We trust; again, another thing. By the time we look back at our day/week/month/year, we can see a string of steps all going in the same direction – toward Jesus.

And it is good.

But it starts with that first step.

Are you new to studying the Bible? Start with one step. And possibly begin with a book in the Bible that you have received comfort or guidance from in the past. Starting in Genesis might not be for you (although it could be for someone else).

How about prayer? Just begin talking with God. Out loud, in the quietness of your heart, something. God hears, He listens and He has His ear bent toward us. Just begin and let the words flow. They can be words of thanksgiving, praise, and worship; they can be words of desperation, anguish, even frustration for the seeming lack of answers from God. Just talk with God, He understands and desires to have a true chat with us. Linger. Share. Just be.

Sharing the gospel? Many will stop here, but we do not have to. Being authentic and real with our relationship with God will spill out. Don’t overthink it. It’s as simple as offering to pray for someone. One someone at a time. Pretty soon, it becomes easier to ask if you can pray, and you begin having long lists of prayer needs.
Keeping in step with the Spirit is active, challenging, a trust exercise, and a beautiful thing. It grounds us in our life here as we long for heaven.

God will meet us with each step we take, so no need to fear. He is right there, holding out His arms and calling your name.

Are you ready and willing to try?

Father God, thank You for being here for me. I’ve lost my way or my confidence in what I need to do next. Help me, please, to refocus and reach out with my first new step. May I tune out the noise and just listen to Your beautiful voice and fix my eyes upon You, my Abba Daddy. In Jesus’s Name. AMEN