707 The Counted Steps

How many steps did you take yesterday? How many of them counted? Have you ever been walking or jogging or hiking and realize you forgot to start your exercise tracking, then you feel like what you did didn’t even count? Think about that for a second. That’s kindof ridiculous isn’t it? You are likely more mindful of your steps now than you ever have been before because of your handy dandy little Fitbit, watch or cellphone app that tallies up all your steps each day. I mean it makes us feel good to say, I took 2,700 steps today when we didn’t really intentionally exercise at all. I’m like one of the final 300 people who’s holding out strong and putting in honest steps without a Fitbit these days, and I suppose those steps still count for something don’t they? I mean even though I don’t have proof of my steps, don’t they still count? DO YOUR STEPS COUNT? You’re counting them, but do they count? Psalm 37:23 – “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” He directs your steps. Your steps. Within my journal from a few years ago is an entry on steps. I’ll share it with you today. The average person takes over 2 million steps in one year. That’s a lot of steps. The question is, out of those 2 million steps you’re faithfully recording in your Fitbit each year, how many of those steps are in line with God’s steps? When God created you, he had a plan in mind for you. A blueprint for your life outlining all you could be and all you could do with the potential he has placed within you. Yes, he takes delight in every detail of your life. He has great and beautiful plans for you and all you have to do is follow the steps he’s literally lining up for you. But have you been? Have you been aligning your steps with his steps? Have you been seeking his plan for your life? Here are 4 important questions about your steps. First, where are you going? Today, you’ll be stepping. Your fitbit will be tallying. But have you ever stopped to ask WHERE ARE YOU GOING? Do you know there’s somewhere God wants you to go. Your presence, your influence, your impact is desperately needed. Will your steps take you there? Look down the path you’re on. If you keep doing what you’re doing, is this going to take you where you want to go? Oh isn’t that so valuable, to actually see where your steps are taking you. Are you on the right path? Second, who are you walking with? Show me the 5 people you spend the most time walking with and I’ll show you who you’re becoming. Are these people living the kind of life you want to live? Are they seeking God the way you want to seek God? You’re stepping with them, so don’t you think it’s important to ask? Third, what are you stepping in? Gosh what messes we create when we step into situations we should have never been in. We go where we know we shouldn’t be going. We put ourselves into compromising and tempting positions and then we wonder why we fail. We should have never stepped into that in the first place. Lonnie and I have been married for 26 years, we trust each other explicitly. However we have a rule, we will never put ourselves in a compromising position to be tempted. You won’t see me at a club. I don’t go drinking with the girls. I don’t step into that. And finally, what are you stepping over or going around? We avoid the hard stuff. There are steps in front of us we know we need to take, but we have been trying everything we can to step over it and go around it when God is saying, no I brought you here for a reason now I want you to go THROUGH this. Stop avoiding the necessary step in front of you. You’re here for a purpose, take the next step. Don’t get stuck here because you’re afraid.