Does Your Way Delight The Lord?

Psalm 37:23-24
If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

We all stumble, and even fall in our spiritual lives, from time-to-time. We get up, brush ourselves off, assess the damage, and try to get back on track. It seems like the times when we fall, are often repeated time and time again, until we are so broken and bruised, God must pick us up and carry us for a while. He doesn’t mind doing it, I’m sure, but He is constantly trying to tell us that there is an easier way.

"If the Lord delights in a man’s way..." does the Lord delight in your way? Are you walking in the way, and traveling down the path that God would have you travel? It’s so easy to wander - to let the world at either side of the path distract us and pull us away from the journey. We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ, through study, prayer, worship, fellowship - all those disciplines that can be so daunting and difficult. It is not that these disciplines make us better or holier - only God can do that. They simply help us keep focused on Christ, so that we are in position for His cleansing flood to wash over us.

However, our journey can also be halted by our own stubbornness and disobedience. I wonder how many times, when God asks us to do something (big or small), we stamp our feet and declare that we won’t do it. When He asks again, trying to take our hand and guide us forward, we sit down, with our arms crossed, and refuse to move, or worse, we run away so far off the path we lose all direction. It’s something we all do, and the more we do it, the more difficult it is to get started going down the right path again. It takes only one step at a time - that is really all He’s asking. We don’t need to fret about what’s around the next bend, we just need to concern ourselves with picking up our right foot, and moving it forward, and then our left . . .

Is their something in your life that God has been asking you to do that you keep putting off? If so, you will find it difficult (if not impossible) to move forward on this journey until you take that step He is asking of you. He will be there to hold our hands, and guide us. He will give us the strength and wisdom we need for each and every moment that we travel with Him. And when we start obeying Him, we will find that we are more sure-footed than ever, and that we no longer fall - a stumble here or there, perhaps, but His hand is right there, to envelop us and hold us up-right; to guide us and direct us; to hold us tight and keep us from slipping off the path to our great danger.

Let’s give up our stubborn, disobedient ways, and walk in boldness of faith! Let’s live lives so empowered by God, so radiant with His great glory that the people around us can’t help but take notice of the amazing things He is doing in and through us. One step at a time - give up the fight, and let’s walk in a way that delights our precious Lord.