You gotta be careful, they advised him. You gotta know what you’re going to do before you do it. You gotta make sure that everything is covered and sorted so that you don’t get messed up because you didn’t do your due diligence.
He nodded his head. He understood what they were saying and the heart of caution and concern that enabled them to reach out to him in this way.
When he asked what should be checked, they went through an exhaustive list of things that would ensure that he was well in control of what that next step was going to be. They assured him that if he did all of that, he would have a sound footing for the next step. He duly followed their counsel and put everything in place as they advised. He even got them to look at what he had done and how he had done it and they all approved of the meticulous way in which he looked at what was going to happen.
He was happy. They were happy. He was ready to embark onto the next step.
And as he took that next step everything collapsed. The set back sent him reeling. How could he have been hit so hard. They turned around and started to look to pick holes in the preparation he put in, even though he had done so on the strength of their advice and with their approval. The exercise soon became an obvious issue of them covering for their failings – projecting their mishaps as his to make him feel bad. That worked as well as he didn’t think about questioning them and internalised everything.
It took him a while to get over the setback. It took him a while to build back his confidence and his sense of trust. Indeed he never felt he could truly commit himself to trust them again.
One of the new smaller crew of people that he befriended, encouraged him to consider what he would do the next time. How it was wise to consider the next step, but also consider who was the one directing him in that next step. Trust in a faithful one in leading to the next step would be far more invaluable than making all kinds of research and preparation and getting everything as much in your own control as you feel.
When the next opportunity arrived, he was more wary to spend as much time praying on the matter and getting godly counsel. Then learning more about what it took to truly walk by faith.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 