Let the Spirit Guide Your Steps

We all make plans. Career goals. Ministry dreams. Personal ambitions. There’s nothing wrong with vision and drive—but Proverbs 16:9 gently reminds us who truly directs the path: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

God often plants desires within us long before we see how they will unfold. The key is not striving to force the outcome, but surrendering the process to the Holy Spirit. When we move forward prayerfully, seek wise counsel, and stay attentive to God’s nudges, He positions us exactly where we need to be—sometimes in ways that exceed what we imagined.

Highlights

• God often plants dreams in our hearts before revealing the path forward

• Prayer and discernment are essential before taking the next step

• Wise counsel helps confirm whether a desire aligns with God’s will

• Success is evidence of God’s guidance, not merely our effort

• The Holy Spirit leads faithfully when we move step by step in obedience

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Full Transcript Below:

Let the Spirit Guide Your Steps
By: Michelle Lazurek

Bible Reading:
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” - Proverbs 16:9

Many years ago, I began to sense in my heart that God wanted me to become a literary agent. This was in addition to my career as an author, and I wanted to help fellow authors get their work into the hands of audiences. However, I had no clue how to get started. One day, I was talking with my husband on a long drive. He asked me what I would do with my life if I weren't an author.

Immediately, I blurted out, “I want to be a literary agent.” After I realized the weight of what I had said, we talked it through. He asked me to speak with my agent regarding the steps in that regard. I had a conversation with my agent, and in a few short months, he had signed me to his agency. 

Although I was excited about this new venture, I was still unsure whether I was qualified or even had the business sense to do the task. Although there were no books or manuals on how to become a literary agent, I knew that if I listened to the Holy Spirit, He would guide me step by step. 

I have now been with the agency for eight years. Of the 130 books sold, almost 1/4 are my deals. It is shocking to think that I have made that many deals in the eight short years that I've worked for him. Yet when God has nudged me, and I have used my gift of discernment and wisdom to sign a client or shop around their deals, God has placed their work in the right hands at the right time.

The prideful side of me can boast that I did all that on my own. But the humble (or rational) side of me understands that unless the Holy Spirit was guiding my steps, I never could have done any of that on my own. 

God was good and allowed me to use my gifts and my heart to help others receive the gospel message through different genres of books and get them into the hands of readers. People are being blessed because of my diligence in working with publishers and getting authors the right deals at the right time. 

As humans, we have many plans and desires. While there's nothing wrong with having goals and visions for our lives, we need to make sure those desires and dreams align with God's will. Although it is not entirely possible to know whether our desires are our own or from the Lord, it is essential to follow God's guidance step by step. 

Is there an area of your life that you feel you want to take the next step, but don't know how? Do you question whether this desire God has placed on your heart is from God or from yourself?

The best way to know whether this is from God is to pray about it. Additionally, we need to surround ourselves with godly people who have been through life and are willing not only to pray for us and our triumphs but also to challenge us when we're down. If we're making a bad decision, we need to surround ourselves with people we can test these words on and know whether they're from God or from us. 

A person who goes about making decisions without carefully weighing them, with those they trust, or who would have a warning from a loved one, will only make matters worse. With God, the decision they make is not irreversible. Still, it could pose a significant danger to their future if they make haphazard decisions without first allowing the Holy Spirit to guide their steps.

Father, let us be people who listen to you. Let us allow you to orient our steps. Let us take each day as an opportunity to take a baby step in faith toward what you are calling us to. Let us be people who listen to others and keep our word, so we can make all the decisions for you. Amen. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

What decision do you need to make today that you need the guidance of the Spirit? What will you do to enlist his help today?

Further Reading:
Philippians 1:6

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