Take the next step

Have you ever had a dream that felt too big for you? Something that made you feel alive with excitement but then overwhelmed you with fear at the same time? God placed a big dream in my heart and my feelings of discouragement sometimes overwhelmed the joy I felt for that dream. It’s easy to become paralyzed by those negative feelings when we want something so badly and it seems far away. I struggled to get started because the end result was so daunting. A friend encouraged me to just start somewhere. To do one thing each day or each week to work towards the dream God had laid on my heart. I listened to her advice and began to take small steps. Even though some of those steps didn’t feel like they were making a difference in this dream, I quickly discovered that they were doing something else. Those steps were bringing His plans for me into focus. As I continued with the work He had called me to, I noticed that what I thought the end result would be had changed. Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NIV) says, "The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride." I am learning that it’s important to be patient because God’s timing is not always what we are expecting. I realized that the end of this dream would be better if I let God lead me in the steps I should take. It’s wonderful to have a goal in mind, but we have to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. God placed a desire to write in my heart and I've been prayerfully working past my feelings of inadequacy. I'm learning that I need to just take one step at a time and then pause to listen. He will confirm or reroute us if we continue to seek Him in each step. Recently I wrote an article for The Joyful LIfe Magazine on walking through the wilderness. Out of fear, I almost didn't submit it. I'm grateful that I did because God used that article to lead me to a new friend. So do it. Take the next step and then pray. Our dreams will take shape through His leading and the end will be better than the dreams we imagined for ourselves. Heavenly Father, thank you for being with us on the journey. Whether we are on a clear path or walking in the wilderness, I pray that we will always see you leading us. I pray for courage to get started, to take the next step. Help us to continue to move towards You and not become complacent or stuck in fear. May we seek You and Your will for our lives as we move forward.