One Step at a Time

When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” (Joshua 4:1-3)

God could have given Joshua a full step-by-step plan before the people ever crossed the Jordan River…but He didn’t. Instead, God gave the overall mission and vision: to lead His people into the land He was giving them to inherit. Then He gave instructions one step at a time.

Only after the entire nation had crossed the Jordan did God instruct twelve men to go back and take twelve stones from the riverbed to set up a memorial. Had God revealed all His plans in advance, they could have collected stones along the way. But that wasn’t His will. Obedience was meant to unfold one step at a time.

It may have been tempting to feel frustrated about having to backtrack. Yet frustration rooted in “I would have done this differently” can quickly turn into sin, specifically pride. When we believe our way would have been more efficient or sensible, we subtly place ourselves above God’s wisdom. But we know His ways and thoughts are higher, and He is trustworthy in His sovereignty.

There is no benefit in getting upset about steps already taken, because you can’t change them. And there is no peace in worrying about steps ahead, because you can’t control them. God calls us to trust and obey Him in the step we are currently standing in.

God rarely gives us the full picture at once, not because He is withholding good, but because He is forming an unwavering trust in us. Faith grows when we obey without needing to see the whole path. Each step of obedience prepares us for the next one.

The question is not whether we understand the process, but whether we trust the One who is leading it. God’s timing, sequencing, and direction are intentional, even when they require revisiting places we thought we were finished with. Trust God where you are and take the step He has given you today.