Most of us who grew up in church have heard it said “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord!” as quoted from Moses to the people of Israel soon after they left Egypt and were faced with the Red Sea in front of them, and Pharaoh and his army behind them.
But when I was reading this passage recently I noticed something I had not noticed before. Moses is telling the people to stand still and watch the Lord rescue them. But God is telling Moses “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea.” (Exodus 14:13, 15-16, NLT)
So sometimes the answer is not to stand still, but to get moving. But what do you do when you don’t know what to do? According to Steve Arterburn, you don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to do the next right thing. And after that, the next right thing, and the next right thing. And eventually you will be on the path to where you want to be.
Life can seem overwhelmingly complicated at times. As humans, I think it’s in our nature to take on the weight of something that we were never meant to take on. God only gives us light for the step in front of us, not the entire road ahead (Psalms 119:105). So when we get overwhelmed because we don’t know how it’s all going to work out in the end, we should remember that God never asked that of us. He asks us to take a step, and trust him.
So for the circumstance you find yourself in today, what is the next right thing you can do?
Is it making a phone call or text to someone you have a strained relationship with that will eventually lead to restored relationship?
Is it getting up and taking a 10 minute walk to start the process of a healthy lifestyle?
Is it going next door to your neighbors house and getting to know them, so that eventually they may be more open to hearing the gospel from you because they have a relationship with you?
Whatever it is, don’t let whatever end you have in mind overwhelm you and keep you from doing the right thing you can do now and eventually bring you to the place you desire to be. ~ Vijoy
