One Step at a Time

In order to go the distance, an individual must take one step at a time. As the ancient Chinese philosopher, Loa Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” The journey may be long- but God will equip you to go the distance, if you keep moving forward.

In this current season, I hear the echoing revelation of God speaking three simple, but powerful words over me… “Keep moving forward!”

In these words, I envision a slow but steady trudge through the muds of life- with the ever-increasing yearning to keep going.

In scripture, this concept pops up quite a bit. Usually when there is emergent theme, God is telling us to pay close attention!

Psalm 37:34, “So don’t be impatient for the Lord to act, keep moving forward steadily in his ways and he will exalt you at the right time.”

Hebrews 12:12-13, “So be made strong in your weakness by lifting up your tired hands in prayer and worship. And strengthen your weak knees, for as you keep walking forward on God’s paths all your stumbling ways will be divinely healed.”

There is no doubt that our weakness will be made known along the journey. But God uses these weaknesses as an opportunity for us to gain spiritual momentum.

It is common to become exhausted and depleted along the way. Life is a series of ebbs and flows and peaks and valleys. There is no escaping it. But the worst thing we can do as Christ-followers is to become so discouraged that we stop moving forward and say stagnant, stuck- in the same place.

When we stop, there is a tendency to concentrate on the mud surrounding us, instead of the direction we are traveling.

It is in these moments, “staying the path” becomes essential, fundamental not suggestive, a way of life. Abundant life. The path less traveled. There is a reason- this is the path less traveled- it is a treacherous hike!

Jesus addressed this in Matthew 7:13-14,

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The path leading to life is steep, includes many narrow and uneven places- paths of stretching and growth- moments of utter depletion and stress- but the calling is to keep moving forward.

The worst thing we can do as believers is to remain stationary- unable or unwilling to move forward. 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love and of self-discipline.”

Spiritual paralysis is caused by a number a different factors: fear, pride, pain/trials, unwillingness, laziness/sloth.

Fear: Matthew 8:26, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Pride: Proverbs 26:12, “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Pain/Trials: 1 Peter 4:12, “Dear friends do not be surprised at the painful trial you are experiencing as if something strange is happening to you.” Unwillingness: Matthew 9:37, “The harvest is plenty but the workers are few.” Laziness/Sloth: Proverbs 16:4, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.”

If an individual finds himself or herself stuck in one or more of these areas, moving forward requires overcoming these strongholds.

Biblical strongholds are prevailing problems in our spiritual walk that act as our Achilles heel. The Apostle Paul teaches us to first and foremost, conquer the mind. It is our offense and our defense.

2 Corinthians 10, “The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience once your obedience is complete. You are only looking on the surface of things.”

Strongholds-mighty fortresses- don’t fall in a day. Great fears aren’t overcome in a moment. But bit by bit and moment by moment, the strongholds are broken down. It is in the daily triumph of the stronghold and daily capture of the mind’s wanderings that the greater battle is won. It takes place in the mind!

So these stronghold that cause spiritual paralysis must be conquered in the mind, and the feet will follow suit. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

The promise is waiting on the path less traveled if only we keep moving forward- one step at a time!