He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3b NKJV)
During the humid summer months, my guide dog, Iva, slows down. We walked in the dark a lot this summer. Once the sun rose, Iva’s black fur grew surprisingly hot. I have to monitor my pace, or I will get ahead of Iva. When this happens, Iva’s no longer leading. I am.
On one of our walks, I felt the bumper of a car as I stepped right into a parked car. “Iva, what’s wrong with you?”
Iva didn’t mess up. I got ahead.
Friend, have you ever run ahead of God? It’s just as dangerous as when I get ahead of Iva.
Zoom meetings opened up a whole new world for me this year. I registered for every speaking and writing conference I could find, and I didn’t consult God. It resulted in a mountain of stress and too little time to implement what I learned from the teachings.
Like sheep, Jesus leads His flock of believers. And like sheep, we are prone to wonder. When we go our own way, we take paths God never intended for us to travel. Sometimes, the temptation arises, and we return to our old paths of worldly ways. These include the paths of selfishness, the paths of pride, and many others. When life seems harder than normal, we should ask: who is leading? Am I leading, leaving Christ in a cloud of dust? Am I taking up my cross and following my good shepherd into the pasture of abundant life?
Life’s difficulties can occur anytime and anywhere, even when Christ leads, but I’ve discovered some ways to ensure I am following Christ.
Is my life a portrait of sacrifice or selfishness? A sacrificial heart puts others first, but selfishness takes the lead. My desire to control everything wrestles with trusting Christ.
Am I different than the world? Do I receive criticism about my beliefs, or do I fit in with the world? Followers of Jesus face persecution and hatred in our culture.
How do I respond to unfavorable circumstances? Do I trust God with these seasons, or do I pout because I don’t get my way (Been there and don’t want the T-shirt)?
With Iva, when my elbow doesn’t extend slightly, I know I am taking the lead. With Jesus, I can take inventory of my life by answering the above questions to determine if I am outpacing my good shepherd.
Friend, God saved us so we can follow Christ. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and run into difficulties we could avoid by following like obedient sheep.
Lord, I need that reminder daily. Follow and do not lead. Your ways surpass my ways, and even when Your ways don’t make sense, help me remember Your thoughts are higher than mine. Direct me in the paths of righteousness, for Your name’s sake. Amen.
DIG DEEPER
HIKING THE TRAIL
Take inventory of your life using the questions in the devotional. As you read the verses in the link above, what benefits come from following in the Lord’s paths? What is one thing you can do differently to prevent yourself from turning onto old familiar paths?
RELATED RESOURCE
I’ve learned much about walking with God from walking with a guide dog, as Iva watches the path ahead. I share these inspirational devotionals in my Guide Dog Tales series. Save $$$ and purchase the bundle here
Originally posted on September 17, 2021 @ 3:00 am
Oh boy do I have stories of when I went ahead of God. Learned my lesson in 2018 when I suffered a huge consequence of that decision LOL.
Oh yes, I think I know what you are refering to.