A Firm Footing - iBelieve Truth - January 17, 2024
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“Teach me to do your will so that I may please you, for you are my God: Let your good spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10
What do you want to do when you grow up? It is a common question asked of kids and teenagers alike. At this point in their fresh lives they can dream up anything for their future without anything standing in their way. They can dream big dreams and believe for them to happen.
Some people ride through life, gliding on the dreams they envisioned while others struggle to know where they are supposed to be and what they are supposed to do. In the perfect Word of God, we read:
"O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!"
God loved us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) and has a plan for our lives. Sometimes this is clear and sometimes it is foggy, leaving us confused.
I am of the latter group. I am nearing middle age and still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. Sure, I have been led in many different areas of ministry, leadership, and writing but the world tends to put a high importance on career and income, two things that have fallen short in my life.
I often find myself begging God for direction for the next place He wants me or for the next big thing I need to do. I long to finally land in God’s will for my life.
This can be flawed thinking. Perhaps, we never arrive in one place. Perhaps, God has many things for us in His perfect timing.
In times like this, I have to allow myself to come to a place of surrender. I ought to lay down my own ideas, dreams, and visions and allow my heart and mind to be filled with God’s visions, and perhaps, for that day it is just to simply sit in His presence. Nothing notable or praiseworthy, just sitting with Him.
So what are some practical ways that we can live in the promise of God’s firm footing, solid foundation, and level ground?
1. Seek Him first in all that we do. Set aside our own desires and allow His voice to speak louder than the world. Spending time with Him in the morning, saturating our minds with the truth of God.
2. Eliminate distraction. If your social media feed is filled to the brim with advertisements of new careers, new courses, and new miraculous ways to bring in a large income and this is causing confusion, then decrease your time in that space, unfollow people, and change your settings. Protect your eyes and your heart from things that will cause you to stumble. Give God space to speak.
3. Stop comparing. This one is especially hard with social media and the constant flow of unneeded information. Stay in your own lane. Don’t covet what others have. Focus on what you are thankful for in your own life and praise God for His perfect plan for you.
The Lord is very clear in His word that He loves us, He cares about the little things and He longs to have a front-row seat in our lives, giving us the direction, stability, and peace that we all long for in this dark world.
We can be comforted by knowing that when we lean into time with Jesus and surrender our lives to God’s will we will, in fact, be on firm, level ground. Even to our limited human view, it doesn’t make sense or it is not what we had envisioned.
We can trust the mighty God of the universe that we are right where we need to be. This is a good place to be.
Yes, God has plans for us, things to do and people to see but if we prioritize these quiet moments with the Lord those things will come into light in their perfect, divine timing.
This act teaches us patience and trust. It is not easy and it is tempting to take the wheel and start making things happen… Unfortunately, I have learned this the hard way. Often, when I take things into my own hands it causes more chaos and confusion.
Time with God will never be wasted. Rest in that today.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Nastco
Heidi Vegh is a writer, speaker, and ministry leader based in Western Washington. A remarried mother of four, she is navigating blended family life after losing her first husband to cancer in 2013. Through her writing and speaking, Heidi encourages those who have experienced loss, offering hope and practical guidance for the journey toward healing and renewed life.
She is the author of The Hard Journey to the Good: A Widow’s Journey from Loss to New Life, a heartfelt account of grief, faith, and rebuilding after devastating loss, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
You can find Heidi at her website mrsheidivegh.com where she shares devotionals and reflections on grief, healing, motherhood, faith, and the beauty and complexity of blended family life through her monthly newsletter. She holds a degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University and serves as Ministry Director at her local church, where she is passionate about helping women grow in faith and experience the transforming love of Jesus.
You can find her on Instagram @mrsheidivegh and SubStack: https://substack.com/
Related Resource: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life | Midweek Prayer (John 14:1–6)
When our hearts feel troubled, Jesus invites us to trust Him again.
This short midweek prayer creates space to pause, breathe deeply, and return to Jesus’s words in John 14:1–6, where He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” In this guided prayer, we acknowledge the places where worry, uncertainty, or longing have unsettled our hearts and bring them honestly before God.
Jesus reminds us that we are not alone—that He is with us, that He is preparing a place for us, and that He will return for us. As we pray, we ask for help to trust Him more deeply and to follow Him in the way He has already made clear: to love God fully and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Take a few quiet minutes to slow down, listen for God’s invitation, and rest in the presence of the One who leads us in truth and life. If you like what you hear, follow So Much More on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!