In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
As I prepared to ride a zip line from the highest point of a rainforest on the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia, fear welled up inside me. Seconds before I jumped from the platform, thoughts of everything that could go wrong filled my mind. But with all the courage I could muster (and few options for turning back), I released. Dropping from the pinnacle of the forest, I whizzed through the lush green trees, wind flowing through my hair and my worries slowly fading. As I moved through the air allowing gravity to carry me, my view of the next platform became clearer and, with a gentle stop, I knew I’d arrived safely.
My time on the zip line pictured for me the times God has us undertake new, challenging endeavors. Scripture teaches us to put our trust in God and “lean not on [our] own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5) when we feel doubt and uncertainty. When our minds are filled with fear and doubt, our paths can be unclear and distorted. But once we’ve made the decision to step out in faith by submitting our way to God, “he will make [our] paths straight” (v. 6). We become more confident taking leaps of faith by learning who God is through spending time in prayer and the Scriptures.
We can find freedom and tranquility even in life’s challenges as we hang on to God and allow Him to guide us through the changes in our lives.
By: Kimya Loder
Kimya Loder is a researcher and scholar of civic and political engagement. She is motivated by the legacy of her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Growing up, she watched her parents and grandparents embody Jesus’ model of servant leadership by working for decades to meet the spiritual and material needs of residents in the local community. She seeks to continue this legacy through her research, writing, and community work. Kimya holds a BA in Sociology and International Studies from Spelman College and an MA in Sociology from Stanford University where she is currently working towards her PhD. In her spare time, she enjoys watching movies, traveling, and gardening.