Everyday Step with Jesus

Have you ever been stuck in traffic and the lane that you’re in is completely stopped, yet the other lanes are slowly moving? As someone that commutes quite a bit, this has happened to me a lot of times. When this happens, I am tempted to move lanes. When I do move lanes, the new lane then stops and I find myself in the same predicament I was in before; a stopped lane.  How often do we do this in life? It seems as though the lane we are in, or the current state in life we are in, is stopped, or stuck, and you see others moving past you. Watching others move past you may make you feel like you are not standing in the right place, but then we move only to be in the same situation. If you have found yourself in a similar situation, keep on reading…

Watch without Comparison

In the Lord, we are called to watch, to be ready for what is to come (Ephesians 6:18). We can only do this the way the Lord intended when we are near to Him because He is the one that will open up our understanding and help us to see things from His perspective, rather than our own. When we don’t abide in Him, we are bound to be led by our own understanding and seeing things from our own lens. Looking at things from our own lens will lead us into dangerous territories. One of those dangerous territories is comparison. 

When we begin to watch and compare our lives or ourselves to others, we can make the wrong move, one that can harm us. With the example of switching lanes, if we are not careful to move into the lane at the right time or if we are not watching we can get into an accident, putting ourselves and even those around us in danger. How many times do we get ourselves into “accidents” because of comparison? Because we are looking around and thinking that what others are doing is better than what we are doing. The Lord is not calling us to comparison when He tells us to be watchful. Being watchful is being aware of the circumstances around us and paying careful attention. When we are watching, we are standing in the guidance of the Lord. 

Stand in the Word

When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, he reminded the church that they had received the Word and that is what they were to stand on. He told them: 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 NKJV

The church was facing different problems, and, in the midst of their problems, Paul reminded them that they needed to stand in the Word. We need to do the same today. When we face various troubles and it seems as if we are stuck and not going anywhere, stand in what the Word tells you; not in what you see in others or what your current circumstance is. Perhaps you are stopped, but eventually, in the Lord’s timing, you will continue to move along. Sometimes we don’t need to make a move right away but rather stand firm where the Lord has called us to stand and wait on Him. 

Stand in Faith

Standing in faith can be hard because it requires us to believe what we cannot see. So even if you are being watchful in the Lord, you may not see what you are hoping for. His Word tells us: 

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

This means that in order to stand in faith we need to have hope. But this hope that leads us to having faith doesn’t come from this world or those around us, but from Him. This world is always changing, the things that are socially acceptable today may not be acceptable tomorrow. Therefore, we cannot put out our hope or faith in this world. When we can see something, it doesn’t require us to have hope, because hope is what helps us to have faith in the things we cannot see. Having faith goes beyond our reasoning; it is our willingness to put our trust, belief and dependence in Him and His promises.  

Stand in Courage

To stand in courage doesn’t mean that we won’t have any fear, but rather that we will be led by the Lord, even when fear is present. Being courageous means that we look to Him for guidance and either stay put or take action even when we are afraid.

So even though it can be frustrating to see others moving past us in life while we feel stuck, if we are following His will it is better to stand where we currently are in life than make a move that can put us in danger. It actually takes more courage to stay put when we are tempted to make a move in order to get rid of the feeling of being stuck. It takes courage to not do the things we want to do as it is easier to make the wrong move out of impulse. When it was Joshua’s turn to lead the Israelites, the Lord told him:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NKJV

God is a faithful God that will go with us when we make Him a part of our lives. If we are being led by Him then we can be reassured that He will be with us wherever we go. Whether we decide to stay put or make a move, if we trust and make our decisions according to His Word, we will see His will unfold in our lives.

Remember to “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬