One Step At A Time

We walk by faith, not by sight.

Faith is not following a detailed road map to a final destination. Faith is trusting God to guide and provide, one step at a time.

Throughout Scripture, God’s perfectly timed guidance weaves through each narrative as he faithfully leads his people. The Old Testament is chock-full of examples of God’s guidance, despite his people’s faithlessness and rebellion.

During the time when the judges ruled, the Israelites asked God to give them a king so they could be like other nations (see 1 Samuel 8:4-22). They were unhappy with God as their ruler and rebelled against his leadership. God gave them what they wanted by appointing Saul as their king. Saul was a warrior who was handsome in appearance but a coward at heart.

Early in King Saul’s reign, he disobeyed God’s commands, including his instruction to completely destroy the Amalekites. In response, God rejected Saul as king. Samuel, the prophet who had anointed Saul, grieved over Saul, and then he completed the task Saul failed to do (see 1 Samuel 15:32-33).

Samuel’s heart was still mourning for Saul when the Lord instructed him, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons” (1 Samuel 16:1). Fear struck Samuel when he heard God’s command. He knew that if he anointed a new king and Saul heard about it, he would be killed (verse 2).

God didn’t answer Samuel with step-by-step instructions outlining the final outcome; he simply told Samuel the next right thing to do. He assured him, “I will show you what you shall do” (verse 3). Laying aside his fear of Saul and potential death, Samuel followed God, one step at a time. God guided him through a series of divine circumstances to a ruddy young shepherd who would become the next king of Israel—none other than King David (verse 13).

Samuel’s humble faith in God’s provision led him to God’s chosen candidate, the very king whose offspring would include the promised Messiah, Jesus (see 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 1:1). His honest, faith-fueled obedience reminds us that God’s plans are perfect—beyond what our human minds can comprehend (see Isaiah 55:8-9). Though we do not have step-by-step directions to follow, we serve the same God who led Samuel to David. So often we pray for detailed instructions about what we should do next, only to be discouraged when that’s not what we receive. But God hasn’t left us on our own. We have his Word—his perfect track record that details his providence throughout history.

The careful guidance God showed to Samuel in anointing David is just one of countless examples in Scripture spotlighting God’s faithfulness. We have the benefit of hindsight as we read God’s Word. As we walk by faith, not by sight, we can keep in mind God’s consistent character and mysterious ways (see 2 Corinthians 5:7). The faith Samuel displayed as he followed God’s leading is the same faith we cling to as we obey his Word and follow him.

We may not have a detailed road map to follow as we navigate life’s tough decisions. But we know our final destination, and we have his Word to strengthen us each step of the way.

So walk by faith, not by sight, as you live for his Kingdom, and trust him to guide and provide—one step at a time.

Word before World Faith is trusting God to provide every step of the journey.

Grow in Grace In what area of your life are you in need of God’s direction? What would it look like for you to surrender the end result to him and take the first step of obedience?