“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Psalm 32:8 (NIV)
There’s a special kind of panic that sets in when you’re halfway through putting something together and realize you’ve missed a crucial step. You’re cruising along, thinking you’ve got it all figured out, when the instructions hit you with those dreaded words: “But first…” That’s the step you were supposed to do way back at the beginning, the one that everything else depends on. And now it’s too late.
I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit. One time, I was putting together a bookshelf, and by the time I realized I’d skipped the “but first” step, the whole thing was leaning to the left like it was trying to moonwalk out of the room. Instructions are there for a reason, but in my confidence—or impatience—I decided to wing it. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work out.
Life can feel like that too. We jump in, confident we know what we’re doing, only to realize later that we’ve missed a crucial step. Psalm 32:8 reminds us that God doesn’t just hand us a box of parts and wish us good luck. He promises to instruct us, to teach us, and to counsel us. And He does it with His loving eye on us, not out of frustration or impatience, but with care and compassion.
I’ve learned that following God’s guidance means slowing down, trusting His instructions, and letting Him lead, even when I feel like I already know what I’m doing. Sometimes that means waiting when I want to move forward or listening when I’d rather rush ahead. But every time I’ve paused to seek His direction, I’ve found that His way is always better.
Sometimes we just need to stop, take a breath, and look back at the instructions. God’s guidance is not a last resort; it’s the best path forward. He sees what we cannot and knows the way we should go. Let Him teach you, counsel you, and lovingly guide you as you move forward, step by step.
— Paul, LifeSongs
Reflective Question:
Where in your life do you feel like you’ve skipped a step? How can you pause today to seek God’s guidance and let Him lovingly direct your next move?
Prayer:
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