Have you ever been somewhere in the dark, and then someone discovers they have a tiny flashlight? The light it gives may be feeble; or so dim that, in brighter circumstances, one would even doubt that it was working at all. But there in the thick darkness, that little light sheds a spectacular glow that brightens your outlook and gives guidance and wisdom the help you know where to step. Of course, if you tried to run, you’d most likely end up tripping, falling, or injuring yourself or those around you, as you moved faster than the light could show. No, this little light shows just one step at a time. But just the same it fills you with peace because you can see what you need.
Walking through the dark with a tiny light bears several similarities to walking through life by faith. First of all, when we choose to walk by faith, we have guidance and wisdom as to what our step should be. Let’s be honest for a moment. No matter how much we plan and dream and work, ultimately our best efforts to make decisions are the equivalent of stumbling around in the dark. Our understanding is so limited that we really don’t know what to do now. We cannot see the ‘big picture’ to correctly carry out the things that need to happen today to be prepared for a step further down the road. We may think life is going smoothly as we walk blindly in our own wisdom, unaware of the wall or the pitfall we are running headlong toward. But we don’t have to try to find our own way through the dark maze of life. God offers us His light and His guidance if we will walk by faith; looking to Him for wisdom and guidance for, asking Him for light in our darkness.In Proverbs chapter 3, we find this exhortation. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Along with the instructions to trust God and seek His guidance in all our decisions comes the sweet promise that He will guide.
You may say, “But how does this apply to me? I’ve been trusting God; and here I am, in a world of pain, grief, confusion. What about me?” Isaiah addresses this. “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corners any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Is. 30:20-21). Another wonderful verse of encouragement, assurance ,and instruction to us when we have been walking by faith and yet we still find ourselves in darkness is found in Isaiah 50 verse 10. “Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” Though sometimes our circumstances don’t make sense or the way God instructs us goes against all of the worldly wisdom we hear, we must remember that while we can only see the here and now (and only from our narrow perspective), God see the complete big picture. His thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours, and His wisdom is infinite. Though we feel we walk in darkness and our hearts are burdened, our God is still with us and guiding us every time we seek His face.
Another similarity between walking with a tiny light and walking by faith is that most of the time you can only see one step at a time. Often, we want to have a ‘one (or five, or even ten) year plan.’ Our human nature wants to be in control of our future, and have things figured out. And our culture (in my opinion) pushes this mentality as well. We see ads quite frequently about securing your future with investments, or insurance, or wills, to name a few. In college we have a schedule made out for months in advance, and have some sort of commitment/plan for at least two, if not four, six, or eight years. We make plans for our future and hold them dearly, as though they are certain. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, we find a stern warning about this mindset in the book of James. “Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:13-15). This is not an endorsement of laziness and foolish or wasteful use of the resources God blesses us with. And it is certainly not encouraging a stingy or materialistic attitude toward those gifts. Rather, it is a call both to ask God for our daily bread, trusting His loving provision; and to be a wise steward of the things (opportunities, relationships, material resources) He has provided us. God’s desire is that we would walk with Him day after day, yielding our feeble plans to the Master Designer, and joyfully proclaim, “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).
Perhaps this sounds like a terrifying way to live. Perhaps the idea of not knowing what’s next until the very moment you need to know drives you crazy. I know that’s how it was for me. And sometimes it still bothers me immensely and I rebel. But God gave me an opportunity to learn more about this ‘faith walk’ though a bit more tangible avenue. Last summer, as harvest was winding down, my boss stared having me check in with him each evening to find out whether I was going to be working the next day (since I work as needed). For a while I was rather upset about the whole thing and the stress (self-induced) was driving me crazy. I started venting to God, and then it suddenly clicked. This was a way that I could visualize what it means to walk by faith, seeking my God and His guidance before every step I take (and yes, I tend to comprehend things better if I process them more visually). No, I haven’t ‘arrived.’ But I have discovered that there is joy and peace when I walk with my God by faith.
I encourage you to come and walk in the light. Leave your plans in the Father’s hands, let Him do what He wants with them. And start the journey, walking side by side, letting His loving words and gentle correction lead and guide you. Taste and see how good the Lord is as you walk by faith rather than by sight!
Hope in truth 