You stand in the fairway with 148 yards to the pin. Your rangefinder confirms the number. You know how far your clubs normally carry. The shot should be simple.
But then doubt creeps in.
What if the wind is stronger than it feels? What if I catch it thin? What if the bunker short of the green comes into play? Maybe I should hit one more club. Or perhaps I should try to muscle the shorter club.
Golf becomes much more difficult when we stop trusting the information we already have.
Good players learn their distances and commit to them. Once they have considered the wind, elevation, lie, and target, they choose a club and make the swing. Constantly second-guessing the decision usually produces hesitation—and hesitant swings rarely produce good shots.
Our faith can suffer from the same problem.
We pray for direction. We study Scripture. We seek wisdom. We believe God has shown us the next step, yet when it is time to act, doubt begins whispering.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV)
Trust does not mean we know exactly where every shot will finish. A perfectly struck golf ball can still catch a gust of wind or take an unexpected bounce. Likewise, following God does not guarantee that every situation will unfold exactly as we imagined.
Faith means trusting the One who knows more than we do.
Psalm 119:105 describes God’s Word as a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. A lamp usually does not illuminate the entire journey. It gives enough light for the next step.
Sometimes that is all God gives us.
On the course, once you have the number, choose the club and commit to the swing. In life, once God has made the next faithful step clear, stop allowing fear to keep you standing over the ball.
You may not know exactly where everything will finish.
But you can trust the yardage God has given you for today.
Reflection
Is there an area of your life where you believe God has shown you the next step, but fear keeps causing you to second-guess it? Ask Him for wisdom, then trust His direction enough to move forward.