When I was little, we played a game in which we would blindfold a kid and a friend would lead them by the hand and helped them navigate. No one blindfolded could be sure they wouldn't walk into a tree, step in a pothole or trip over a rock. Some kids couldn¡¦t trust the person leading them and would shuffle their feet or walk slowly to make sure the way was clear. All the kids, though, had to fight the urge to tear off the blindfold to see what was ahead. It takes a great deal of courage to follow another person's lead.
As Christians, sometimes we feel like blindfolded children. On our journey of faith, we may feel lost and lonely, unsure of our way. Pleasures of the world can blind and choke us till we stray away from our path. Who sustains us? Who keeps us from falling? Who constantly leads us by the hand?
The Lord Jesus Christ does all of these. He holds our hands and leads us onto the right path, corrects our ways and brings us back, delivers and strengthens us, comforts us and lifts our burdens. We must place our trust in Him. Proverbs 3 says to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5,6).
As easy as it may sound, following Jesus Christ demands an enormous amount of courage. Often it seems easier to crawl back into our shells and play it safe. It takes enormous courage to follow God's lead. Some of His callings demand the best you can be. Some of His tests stretch you to the limit, and yet some of them help us overcome great fears. Truly, spiritual courage is needed to walk the next step, and only by trusting in Jesus will it be in the right direction.
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