My toddler is at an age where he KNOWS what he wants, and he can almost talk enough to get his point across most of the time. He is quite opinionated and very loud about those opinions. The other day, we were eating dinner, and he was sitting in his high chair, screaming something that we could not decipher. We gave him more food and juice, held him, and played with him. NOTHING was working. He was adamant about something, and we were not catching on.
So, after many wild goose chases, I decided to put him down and just follow him. He walked me right to the table where the goldfish were and said “FIHHH”. He led me right where he wanted me to complete the task he wanted me to.
Wait…
I scooped up my baby, gave him some goldfish, and kissed his sweet little forehead while I thanked God for using him as an instrument to remind me of an important truth.
How often do I go on my own wild goose chases in life, only to fail? How often do I try to be in control, only to be wandering around confused? Too often.
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.”
This verse reminds us to stop striving to do life in our own strength or trying to figure everything out on our own. It’s an invitation to surrender—an encouragement to let God be God. The more we seek Him and truly get to know His character through His Word and presence, the more clearly we’ll begin to recognize the paths He wants us to take. We don’t have to chase after every possible solution. We just have to get to know him by diving into His word, and follow where He leads.
That night at dinner, I could not understand what my toddler wanted because I was trying to do it based on what I thought I knew—but he knew where he wanted to go. When I stopped trying to fix it all myself and simply followed, I saw exactly what he had been asking for all along.
Isn’t that just like us with our Heavenly Father? When we stop relying on ourselves and simply follow His lead, digging deep into His word to know Him more, He brings us right where we need to be.
Kristie Fowler
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#kristiefowlerblogs