Do you ever feel like you’re climbing an uphill battle? Like you slip back with every step you take forward? Sometimes, when we find ourselves fighting against the wind, we begin to question God. Surely if He was in it, everything would go well. We’d see instant results. Doors would fly open.

Perhaps…but what if the doors are opening in areas where you don’t see it? What if God’s doing a work you’ll never know about? Or perhaps one that you won’t hear about for years, maybe even decades.

We’ll never know, and in our limited vision, there’s much we’ll never see. Many saving-faith commitments we’ll never hear. That’s where trust, surrender, and obedience comes in. Conditional surrender says, “I’ll follow You as long as I see results.” Unconditional, total surrender–the kind God uses–says, “I’ll follow You no matter what. I’ll trust You no matter what. I’ll serve you, laying my life down moment-by-moment, even if it feels like I’m grasping at the wind because I know You are sovereign and loving and true.”

Loved this quote from Eddie Snipes, I Called Him Dancer, (another novel that demonstrates what it means to live out the gospel message). “Don’t ask the Lord to bless your plans. Seek Him alone, and walk in the works He established for you to walk in. He may ask you to row against the wind, but that’s okay. Row with faithfulness and obedience.”

Psalm 32:8-11 (NIV)

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
   I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
⁹ Do not be like the horse or the mule,
   which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
   or they will not come to you.
¹⁰ Many are the woes of the wicked,
   but the LORD’s unfailing love
   surrounds the one who trusts in him.

 ¹¹ Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
   sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Verse one is God’s promise to us. He will guide us, in love. He says His eye is on you. Stop and think about that for a moment–God’s watching you right now. Not to condemn or annihilate you or catch you in some sin. He’s watching you with the love of a Father. The Creator of the universe is thinking of you, right at this very moment.

And He only wants what’s best for you. He longs to guide you in what’s best for you, and He wants you to follow. Don’t resist His lead. Follow whole-heartedly, knowing He guides you in love. In fact, His love surrounds you, like a snuggly blanket when you are sad and lonely, like an impenetrable barrier when forces of evil come against you, and like a tender hand that carries you when you are weak.