Keep Thou My Feet

Lately I've been thinking a lot about my life and where I want be a few years down the road.  As I thought about it, I began to worry about all the different possibilities.  I wondered how I could ever make the right decisions now if I didn't know exactly where I want to be in a few years.  And how could I possibly know where I was going to be?  The decisions in front of me looked daunting.  Then the words came to mind of one of my favorite songs, Lead Kindly Light.

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom;

Lead thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home;

Lead thou me on!

Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see

The distant scene—one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor pray’d that thou

Shouldst lead me on.

I loved to choose and see my path; but now,

Lead thou me on!

I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,

Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years.

So long thy pow’r hath blest me, sure it still

Will lead me on

O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till

The night is gone.

And with the morn those angel faces smile,

Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!

My very favorite words are the bolded ones -"Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene - one step enough for me."   I don't need to see an exact picture of where I will be in a few years in order to succeed.  In fact, that is not the Lord's way.  There is much more faith involved in His process.  And faith is very good for us.  I must be content with only seeing one step at a time.  I can trust the Lord will lead me well.  All He does is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, so I have nothing to fear.  All He does is for my good.  

The wonderful thing is that even though I may not have an exact goal for where I want to be in a few years, I do have a bigger goal - my goal to return to my Heavenly Father.  As I strive for this goal, all my other fuzzy goals scattered throughout my life will take care of themselves.  I will know how to act  each step of the way, since even my unknown life goals should align with that. My life has purpose, even if I can't see where exactly my actions will take me.  With this in mind, I truly have no need to fear.  The Lord will keep my feet, as long as I keep Him in my heart.