hear God saying: ‘You shall not go out with haste…for the LORD will go before you, and…be your rear guard.’ What an awesome promise! God goes before us to prepare the way and comes behind us to correct our mistakes and redirect our steps. When we’re about to make a wrong turn, His Word says, ‘We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps’ (Proverbs 16:9 NLT). If we trust God and allow His will to rule us, He’ll reroute us if we head off in the wrong direction. When we think we don’t have what it takes to finish a task, His promise is: ‘The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring…you will be known as a rebuilder…and a restorer’ (Isaiah 58:11-12 NLT). When we’ve run out of answers and don’t know what to do, He reassures us: ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you’ (Psalm 32:8 NLT). When the load we’re carrying is too much to bear, we’ll hear His voice saying: ‘Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall’ (Psalm 55:22 NLT). In order to hear His voice, we have to put Him first, sacrifice things that aren’t from Him, and tune out other voices. It can be difficult, but we must do these things, because nothing is more important and peace-bringing than knowing God’s guiding every step we take.

What Now?

Is there anything in your life that’s getting in the way of God’s voice? Today, make a decision to discard it and allow God to speak into everything you do.