Leave the Details to God!

If you’re like me, you’ve at one time or another pressed God for more details!

I’ve made comments like, “Lord, I need you to tell me what’s going to happen.” “Would you please let me in on where we’re going?” Or, how about this one: “if only I knew what you wanted me to do, I would gladly do it – but I don’t have any idea!”

After years of asking those questions, I finally realized that God has a very good reason for not giving me too much information in advance; because I have had a tendency to take the ball, run with it, get way ahead of him, and possibly mess things up!

Instead, I have found that He gives me just enough information to take the next step toward my destiny.

The Bible gives a great account of this idea in action. In the Book of Acts, Jesus had just defied the laws of the universe and by the power of God, rose to life again! Before ascending to Heaven, He gathered his disciples to instruct them on continuing the work that He had begun: He told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait to receive the Holy Spirit. Pretty simple instructions, wouldn’t you say?

Looking for much more detailed (and complicated) instructions, they asked Him, “Is this when you’re going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus told them in so many words, “Don’t you worry about all that. You just do what I said – go and wait on the Holy Spirit.”

The disciples had their own idea of how Jesus was going to restore the kingdom of God.
“What’s hanging out in Jerusalem and waiting for the Holy Spirit got to do with anything?” they must have wondered. But, with an open mind, they went where Jesus told them to go. As a result, they found something they never expected; and in the process, their destiny and purpose were revealed!

When searching for our purpose and direction in life, we often times don’t want to make any choices or movement until we get the whole picture. This can keep us paralyzed and stuck in one place, waiting to get all the information we think we need before moving forward. As a result, days, months and even years can be wasted, lost to frustration and dissatisfaction.

Be bold and brave enough to take that next step toward your goal or dream. Don’t worry about what you need to do 20 steps down the road. Don’t worry if the outcome is going to give you the final result you’re looking for. Don’t worry about taking a wrong turn. Instead, remember that if you don’t do things just perfect, God is big enough to find you and turn you back in the right direction!

You’ve heard the saying, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time”. Sometimes your true purpose is found the same way – one step at a time, one trial at a time, one experiment at a time.

So, what are you waiting for? Take that next step that’s right in front of you…and move forward!