“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
Which does our Father in heaven do more in the lives of those that He has chosen for Himself, does He direct our steps, and we, unwittingly and unbeknownst to us, walk the path set before us for His glory, or does He wait patiently for us to move forward in faith, and then He directs our steps?
In my finite mind, the first one would by default indicate that we could not be held accountable for our actions, for in a sense we would be no more or less than a wind-up toy, so to speak, wound up tightly and then released upon a predetermined path. If that were truth, then John 15:5 must be true.
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
If the second part of the opening statement in this letter to you today were true, that the Almighty waits for us to move forward in faith, seeking His mercies and guidance first, then Philippians 4:13 would needs be true.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
And thus, we could be held accountable, we could, as much as any of us can, be profitable to His Kingdom, and the Most High would still direct our steps.
In either case, I see no alternatives, whether by His loving hands through the Holy Spirit gently prodding us in a certain direction, or as we move forward for His glory, even in uncertain faith, our Father in heaven always directs our steps.
By faith Paul wanted to go into Asia, but the Holy Spirit redirected his steps. Peter did not want to go where they led him in his old age, but the Lord directed his steps in that way nevertheless.
If you at times have said, “I did not feel led to do that,” then you need to be very sure that it is not just that you were not being led, but that you did not want to follow.
This truth goes far beyond obeying His commandments, it determines whether or not you are willing to do both, be led for His glory, and follow for it as well, and without fervent prayers to be able to hear the Holy Spirit correctly, you may live your life doing only one or the other.
There is one verse that comes to mind that encapsulates both of these though.
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)
Walking humbly with the Lord, by His side, never leaving His presence, means that we are both following Him and being led by Him.
We cannot follow Him unless we can clearly see where He has gone, and, if you can accept this truth, we cannot be led by Him against our will, for He has blessed us with the free will to choose.
This wicked and evil world is directed upon a path to certain destruction by the will and design of the Almighty God. We who are hid in Christ are on a narrow path and are expected to remain upon it. We know where our Savior has gone, and so toward that strait gate we follow Him, but being led on that path must be your decision.
The part of it that He desires for you to walk upon is clearly set before you if you have indeed been born again, then you know this to be a truth. If you love Him, you are compelled to follow where you are being led, no matter the circumstances of your life, or the possible consequences to yourself.
He will not lead us against our will, by our own free will we choose to follow Him.