DAILY GUIDANCE
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
Years ago, in Illinois, I went to my first-ever corn maze. There was a huge field filled with cornstalks abound. You start on one side and try to reach the other. I got lost from my group and somehow made it our first. At the edge of the corn maze was a massive tower you could climb that looked out over the whole field. At the top of the tower, you could see the correct path to take that you couldn’t see when you were in the corn maze. I called someone from my group and told them to listen very carefully to my directions. I told them when to go right, left, or straight; because I’m a good person, I only led them down a couple of wrong paths for fun.
This picture is how I often think of the Spirit of God, although He never leads us down wrong paths. He has a vantage point that we don’t see. Sometimes, we see so many different paths, and it can be a bit overwhelming. I’m learning that God wants to guide me on the big decisions in my life; however, I’m learning He also wants to give me daily guidance. He cares about my meetings, tasks, family, and everything else. I try to get in the habit of slowing down for a few seconds and asking God to guide my decisions, and I am always amazed that He speaks when we listen. Prayer is a two-way conversation. We don’t just rattle off our list of needs or requests, although God is never opposed to those things because He loves hearing from His children. The truth, though, is I need to hear from God more than He needs to hear from me. I need His wisdom, His direction, His vantage points to guide my steps. May we be faithful to bring every decision to Him, knowing He wants to guide us daily.
APPLICATION: Start today, bringing every decision to God and letting Him guide your steps.
PRAYER: Ask the Spirit to guide you. Practice getting still and paying attention to what the Spirit might be saying to you each day. Write down a list of things you are doing today and ask Him to speak to each decision.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?