When I think about trusting God and walking with God wherever He leads, it reminds me of a game I used to play.
Maybe you’ve played it before. You’re wearing a blindfold and someone else leads you through an obstacle course with nothing but their voice. Success or failure depends on the quality of instructions, the obedience of the blindfolded party, and, of course, teamwork.
Thinking back, I’m not sure I ever made it through the course without peeking, just a bit. For many reasons, I just couldn’t quite trust the other person to give me the right directions so I wouldn’t get hurt, embarrassed, or otherwise.
Trusting someone else to get you through an obstacle course you can’t see is uncomfortable, scary, and difficult. Why bother playing when you can just avoid the blindfold and potential pain altogether?
Even if the game is a bit silly, it brings up an obvious parallel to trusting God to guide my footsteps through life. As much as I love to have the future figured out and my five-year plans mapped out, in truth, we are all going through life blindfolded. We don’t know what’s around the corner. We have no idea what’s going to happen tomorrow. In fact, we can’t see the obstacle in front of us.
That’s why James tells us boasting about our upcoming plans is pure foolishness.
“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” (James 4:13–15 NIV)
James isn’t saying we don’t make our own decisions or we aren’t personally responsible. But he is saying we don’t have divine knowledge. Only God has that so we’re far better off trusting God for our future.
I’ve learned when I live in the light of trusting God’s Will, walking with God isn’t so intimidating. In fact, if I need guidance all I have to do is ask.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)
Of course the hitch is after asking for guidance and hearing God’s instructions, it’s time to trust in God and take those steps forward.
