Step by Step

One cold, dark morning, Jean and I were at a trailhead in Canyonlands National Park in Utah. We donned our polar fleece jackets, wool hats, and gloves. At 4:30 AM, with our only flashlight in hand, we started off on the path that wound its way up and down amid desert scrub, alternating between sandy rock surfaces and just plain sand. Since Jean was just a few months past hip replacement surgery, we needed to be especially careful on potentially slippery surfaces in the inky blackness. I would go a couple of steps ahead, stop, turn around with the flashlight, and illuminate the next part of the trail Jean had to traverse. As needed, I would offer my hand or arm for additional support. It really didn’t matter what was 15 or 20 feet ahead on the trail. Only the next two or three steps were what we needed to focus on. By concentrating the flashlight beam on the section of the trail immediately ahead, we made it safely to the viewpoint. There we witnessed the spectacular sight of the sun bursting over the La Sal Mountains.

Gradually, the rays illuminated the striking features of the canyon hundreds of feet below, painting the inner surface of Mesa Arch.

It’s a mistake to think I can always clearly discern what is down life’s path for me, even a few minutes ahead on a pleasant, sunny day. But God can. He knows where the path is slippery and I’ll need to be careful. He can see occasions on which I’ll need another person’s assistance. And He knows when it will be helpful for me to have some additional illumination along the way.

I know I need to do a better job of trusting God’s Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Every day. Step by step.

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.

– Psalm 119:105 (New Living Translation)