Stepping Stones of Faith:
Trusting God When You Can’t See the Way Forward
“Faith is an action that requires you to wait on God to reveal how to act.”
I found myself standing at the edge of a deep, unknown territory. I needed to move forward, but all I could see ahead was black water and dense fog. I tried to imagine what might be revealed if the fog were to clear. Putting all my energy into the unknown made me spin, and eventually, I took a deep breath and looked down. Finally, there was a stone that I could step on. It was big enough and not too far away. But where there had been dense fog before, it had cleared just enough to see it; I stood there still, unsure. If I step on this stone, will the fog hide this safe place on the edge of the water? Will I be able to go back if this step proves to be the wrong one? Fear had a hold on me. I didn’t trust myself at all to tune into the Father’s direction for my life.
What was driving the fear? After making a list, it all came down to one thing: a fear that God wouldn’t land me somewhere better than I was now. That the saying "the grass isn't greener on the other side" would prove to be true. I feared that I would regret the choices I was making at that moment. I didn’t believe that I mattered enough to have a life full of love and safety.
As I say that now, I realize how irrational that is. God never leads you to a place that has an end. Even in a pit, He makes a way to climb back out. All experiences, both good and bad, have a purpose.
Times of poverty and times of abundance.
Times of solitude and times of relationships.
Times of anger and times of gratitude.
So I stepped onto the only stone I could see. As I stood there, the fog rolled back in, and suddenly, the shoreline, the place I thought was safe, was no longer in sight. This stone was full of pain, sorrow, anger, rejection, but also a sense of safety. I was now in God’s hands. I felt my confidence rise. Then the fog lifted, and the next stone was there. This one was slightly bigger than the last.
Even in the thick of it, I still followed. This process changed how I prayed. I started to pray for the next step to know it was the right one when it was revealed to me. I no longer worried about how I would find the provision to do what was being asked of me. I no longer worried about who might be there to help me. The few times the next step was not what I prayed for, I quietly asked Father to change my heart to align with His. He gave me confirmation because He knew I needed to know that I was still under His wing.
Now I am many stepping stones in. I’m probably standing over the deepest part of the lake. I have no more fear. How can I when, at the right moment, God lifts the fog just enough to see the next stone? Consistently, he has shown up for me, and consistently, I have followed. It took time for me to have peace about where my life was headed. I had zero hope for my future.
Even though I can’t see the future, and I don’t spend my energy trying. My focus is on the stone I’m standing on now and the gratitude of how the heartache of my past has brought me to this very place. How can I be ready for the next one? Each stone brings a new heartache and a new challenge to place in God’s hands. Faith does not come easily, and it takes pressing for the sweet oil to be expelled so it can flow through your actions and into your journey. It cannot be bought or gifted; you must allow yourself the space to grow in this part of your life. Faith is a muscle that gets stronger when you use it and nourish it.
“Father, you know my future, and you had it perfectly designed long ago. I am grateful for the life you have given me. I am even grateful for the pain and how it will be used to heal. Bind me up in your goodness. Show me your Ways and lead me on the path that was meant for me.”
Click the button to receive the "5-Steps I Took to Strengthen My Healing Journey" Booklet.