God’s Path May Not Be Easy, But Choose To Follow Him Anyways

Faith is trusting what you cannot see, cannot feel, cannot touch with your two hands, and yet, still know in the depths of your heart is real. Faith is understanding that there is a greater purpose, a life beyond this one, and opening your palms to the sky in surrender, knowing that wherever you go and whatever you do is only leading you closer to where you’re meant to be.

Faith is closing your eyes and having confidence that no matter what happens in this life, you are cared for and protected by a loving, powerful Father. Faith is saying, ‘I do not have the answers, but I stepping forward anyways because I long to be closer to you.’

To be a person of faith is difficult. The world will often look at you with disdain, saying you’re putting all of your hope in something that doesn’t exist, or that you’re believing in something merely to feel better about yourself, to feel less pressured and stressed by the world.

To be a person of faith is hard. You’re continually given situations that are challenging, pain that you cannot explain, moments of doubt where you wonder whether you’re holding onto something that’s as thin as thread, unraveling in your fingertips.

To be a person of faith is complicated. You must fight battles that you feel too weak to win, or stand when it feels like you’re standing completely alone. You often feel isolated and afraid, lonely or purposeless as you try to navigate what God wants for you, sometimes when you don’t have clear direction.

But to be a person of faith is to know that regardless of the frustration, the fear, the mind-numbing pain, the hopelessness, the doubt, you have a Father who will never leave you. And a path to follow that will lead you to a beautiful life, one beyond all you’ve ever imagined.

Trusting God doesn’t mean stumbling into a perfect existence. It doesn’t mean a pain-free path, or an easy road. It doesn’t mean you won’t get hurt, won’t lose people you love, won’t fall down or hit rock bottom. But it does mean that whatever this sinful life brings, you have a Savior walking with you. It does mean in every downfall there is hope.

Trusting God won’t be butterflies and rainbows. There will be clouds and storms. There will be days where you don’t know the answers or what He wants from you. There will be moments where you find yourself drifting from people and things you care about, and you’ll fight against this, trying to convince yourself that earthly pleasures and temporary people are more satisfying than eternal life with a loving Father.

You will cling to what you know, simply because standing in faith is scary. Because you tell yourself you are capable on your own, even though you know, at the end of the day, you so desperately crave your Father’s embrace.

You will claw and push and stand stubbornly, but what you will only realize in time is that God has plans for you. He loves you and only wants the best for you. And the pain that you encounter is not of Him, for He longs to bring you away from the earthly brokenness and into His forever-shining light.

Trusting God means acknowledging that you won’t always know the answers, won’t always be happy, won’t always be walking this spotless, sunshine-filled road, but choosing to follow Him anyways.

Simply because He is God. Simply because He loves you. Simply because He gave His son for you, and has devoted all that He is into you, His creation.

So know that the road you walk will be bumpy. Know that the life you lead will not be blameless, but will leave you bruised and broken at times. Know that choosing to follow Him does not mean that everything will be peachy-keen for the remainder of your days, but that it will be filled with goodness and hope, even in times of trouble.

Know that no matter what happens next, you have a God who loves you. And there is nothing to fear.

Trust the path, trust the road, trust His plan. Acknowledge that your steps won’t always be paved out for you, and that sometimes you won’t know where to go. But remember that there is no place you can wander where He can’t reach you, and nothing you can do to push Him away. Take comfort in the fact that following Him will lead you to light, to hope, to a forever future in His arms.

And no matter the obstacle, hold on and believe.