Simply Follow

25

Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.

26

Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.

27

Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27 NKJV)

It would be an understatement to say that we live in a distracted time. With so much coming at us in a given day or week, (take your pick--World scene, National Scene, Cultural, Family, Church, Job,...) and with the speed of information bombarding us daily, life can seem overwhelming at times. This said, I sense that in recent years Scripture is bringing me personally into a growing conviction that GOD does NOT want His children overwhelmed. Although planning and goals are wise biblical principles, these plans and goals must not be the ultimate focus of our hearts— “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). His requirement of us is to seek Him and His path for living right, and to do so by taking one day at a time. In fact, Jesus literally states this in the Sermon on the Mount one verse further—(Matt. 6:34):

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble"

Being overwhelmed can be a sign that I’m too plan and goals centered and not enough God-centered. In Proverbs 4 Solomon gives us the simple step by step formula for satisfaction and wisdom in life’s path.

1) Cease the distractions (“Look straight ahead” vs. 25). This takes serious intentional effort in an age filled with distractions.

2) Focus only on what is right in front of you (“look right before you” vs. 25). Again serious intentional effort…Fixating out too far is a serious mistake which leads to being overwhelmed.

3) Keep on GOD’s path step by step (“Ponder the Path of your feet” vs. 26), step by step and allow His leading to direct you daily on solid footing (“let your ways be established” vs. 26).

4) Avoid the ditches which distractions of evil would draw us to (“Do not turn to the right or to the left. Remove your foot from evil” vs. 27).

This is living daily, intentionally, in the path Jesus has called us to. A path which He walks— ahead of us. He said, “Follow Me”!