Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase. — Martin Luther King, Jr.

God has given believers personalities, abilities, and spiritual gifts which will equip them to accomplish His specific plans for their lives. But each one must choose to step out in faith and obedience. At times the Lord challenges us to do something that seems beyond our ability, but if we back off, we’ll miss His awesome blessings.

Let’s learn from the Israelites who made several choices that led to unbelief, resulting in a lifetime of aimless wandering (Deuteronomy 1:19-40). They . . .

• Listened to the wrong voices. To walk obediently with the Lord, we need to guard ourselves from being swayed by those who don’t understand the greatness of our God. Not only that, but we must also learn to recognize the lies of Satan. He wants us to become ineffective, accomplishing little for the kingdom of God. “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;” (Philippians 1:9-10)

• Relied on human perspective. At times trusting God conflicts with human reasoning. But those who choose to trust Him—even when the external evidence points to an impossibility—will find that He is bigger than any obstacle. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

• Let feelings overcome faith. Perhaps the biggest hindrances to obedience are fear and inadequacy. An internal focus is a trust killer. The way to overcome our feelings is to rely on the Lord and His promises. He will equip us for whatever He calls us to do. “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:13) 

Every challenging call to obedience is a fork in the road of our lives. To go the way of unbelief will lead to a lifetime of regret and aimless wandering, but to courageously trust God and do what He says will result in the greatest blessing of your life. The choice is yours.

Source: The High Cost of Wavering Faith