The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1).
God didn’t give Abram (later to be called Abraham) a detailed map or even show him the exact final destination. He basically said, “Abram, leave your comfort zone and go where I will show you.”
However, God also added that He would bless Abram and his descendants if Abram obeyed Him. Abram didn’t know where he would end up, but he knew and trusted God’s character, so he obeyed anyway. Abram’s obedience happened one step at a time. With each step, Abram heard a little more from God.
I feel that this is what God requires of us as well.
Like Abram, I am learning lessons as I walk through my journey.
Here are a few of the lessons that God has taught me so far:
1. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
God wants me to continually step out of my comfort zone and trust Him with the unknowns. I have to leave room for God to guide me.
If God were to come show me step-by-step His exact will for my life, it wouldn’t require faith for me to follow Him.
Moreover, if I know exactly where I’m going beforehand, the idea probably isn’t from God. It probably came out of my own head and ideals. God likes me to follow Him in faith and trust.
This frees me from getting stuck in my own ideas, which often can take me away from God’s will, because let’s face it, my own ideas can be very flawed as well as limited. God sees everything—past, present and future. He is not limited.
When I think back to times when I actually did step out of my comfort zone, it can give me confidence to do it again.
2. Take One Step at a Time
There’s also another reason God doesn’t want me to know too much too soon. If I know too quickly, I might get overwhelmed and give up because it seems too hard. I might know where I’ll end up but I won’t necessarily know how.
And, this not knowing how would cause me to have all kinds of anxious and worried thoughts.
Nobody can do their best work under stress. God doesn’t ask me to take a step that is five miles up the road. Each step of this step-by-step approach is made under the daylight of the present moment. Everyone can take one step at a time.
I once tried a ropes course that was over twenty feet above the ground. My initial thought was that there was no way I could balance myself and walk across those ropes.
I wore a safety harness but my jitters didn’t seem to understand that I was completely safe. It was still scary. But…as I took one step at a time, I reached my destination.
3. Action Lessens Worry
I tend to overanalyze everything and overanalyzing causes me to worry and even become paralyzed. Taking action erases a lot of these worries because the act of doing something takes on a life of its own. I concentrate on the task at hand, not the results that will come later.
Worrying about future results usually make me not want to take action at all. Taking action is a way of living in the moment and often deletes some of the fears of the future and regrets of the past.
Also in that ropes course, I realized that most of my worries came before I started each section. Thinking about the possibility of falling happened before my first step.
But…when I took the action necessary and started moving, my action really did erase a few fears because I wasn’t thinking about them.
4. God is With You as You Go
Abram was able to trust God in the not knowing because he believed that God was with him. I also have this assurance because Jesus said, “…be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Even to the end of the age means in every moment of my life.
Is God speaking to you about leaving your comfort zone and going without knowing? If he is, spend some time in the Bible and in reflective thought and wait for him to give you your first step, not the whole plan, just the first step.
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8).
Let’s Pray: Prayer for Following God’s Will
Heavenly Father,
I come to You with an open heart, even if I don’t have everything figured out. I want Your will more than my own, but sometimes I struggle to let go of what I thought my life would look like. Help me trust You in a deeper way.
Your Word says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5–6, ESV). So today, I choose to trust You, even when I don’t understand.
Lord, quiet the noise around me so I can hear Your voice clearly. Remove confusion, fear, and doubt. Give me discernment to recognize when You are leading me, and courage to obey without hesitation.
If I’m holding onto anything that is not from You, gently take it from my hands. Align my desires with Yours. Let what breaks Your heart break mine, and let what pleases You become what I pursue.
Order my steps, God. Close doors that are not meant for me and open the ones that lead me closer to Your purpose. Even when the path feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar, remind me that You are with me every step of the way.
Teach me to surrender daily, not just in big decisions, but in the small, quiet moments too. I don’t want to move ahead of You or fall behind. I want to walk with You.
Thank You for being patient with me as I grow. Thank You for loving me enough to guide me.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
