Something I wrote about a year ago after reading this quote. I have since continued to learn how true it is! It really is all about full surrender and taking one "blind" step after another.
“Face the future, but face it only with a brave and happy heart. Do not seek to see it. You are robbing Faith of her sublime sweetness if you do this. Just know that all is well and that Faith, not seeing but believing, is what will bear you to safety over the stormy waters.”
After reading this I prayed, “Ok Lord, I am going to turn and head into the rest of my life not trying to guess what’s ahead of me. I am going to walk through each day following after you, even though I can’t see where I am going.” I was then reminded of Dialogue in the Dark at Atlantic Station. For those of you who have not been there, they set up several rooms to mimic things like a park, grocery store, kitchen, etc and you spend about an hour walking through all the rooms in the PITCH BLACK DARK. You cannot see your own hand in front of your face! If you tried to do it all on your own you would undoubtedly run into walls and trip over obstacles. The experience would be really frustrating and you might be tempted to give up and question why you were even there in the first place. But they don’t ask you to do it on your own- they give you instructions, provide you with a stick (I forgot what it’s called!), and most importantly they have a guide leading you. So you forge into the unknown territory one small step at a time, trusting your guide’s voice, and using the tools he gave you. You don't really worry about what is next or even what your final destination is, you just experience each room you're in and walk through the next door when he tells you. It was extremely unnerving at first (whose idea was this?!), but as I went through each room I began to relax and trust my ability to navigate the darkness by listening and using my tool. I began to enjoy the adventure of it. Eventually I was glad it was so dark, even though it was frustrating at times, because it really would have been pretty boring with the lights on.
That’s how I view life. God may choose to keep us in the dark a lot of the time and we may feel uncertain about his path for our life, but we must trust his leading and be willing to take just one step at a time. He asks us to live by faith, knowing that He can see what we can’t; to truly believe that his will is perfect. I sometimes think it's less about "discerning his will" and more about surrendering and allowing his Holy Spirit to lead, trusting him in you and believing you will wind up where he wants you. If you exercise your faith he will prove himself faithful time and time again, and that will excite you. Life without faith is boring!
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
