Have you ever ended up in exactly the right place at exactly the right time in a way that could not be mere coincidence? When that happens to me, I know God must be involved. And I really shouldn’t be surprised.
The psalmist David declared, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD” (Psalm 37:23, NKJV). I believe this truth with all my heart, and I never cease to be amazed at how perfectly God arranges our steps. He is guiding us even when we don’t realize it.
I recently attended a surprise retirement celebration for my mom at her workplace. Unfortunately, I was running late and had missed the start time. However, when I arrived, her boss met me at the door and said, “You’re right on time.” As it turned out, a meeting had run late, and they had to adjust the start of the celebration. So, I actually didn’t miss a thing. Some may call that coincidence, but I believe God was ordering my steps.
Now, that might not sound like that big of a deal, but I think God uses little situations in our everyday lives to teach us how much He cares. Indeed, “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives” (Psalm 37:23, NLT). If God goes to great lengths to coordinate our steps in situations like that, then we also know He is leading us in all the important issues concerning our family, career, health, and well-being. And He does so for a reason.
Paul and Timothy prayed for Christians to be “filled with the knowledge of His will” (Colossians 1:9, NKJV). You see, God has a will for our lives, and He wants us to know it! When we’re going through life, we’re not just aimlessly or randomly walking around, but God guides our steps with purpose!
Let’s consider the story of Esther recorded in the Bible. As a young Jewish woman living in a foreign land, she was shown special favor and was named queen of the nation. But she wasn’t made queen just to be a queen; God set her in that place of authority for a reason.
Her uncle Mordecai discovered an evil plot brewing to kill all the Jews in the land. So, he went to Esther to convince her to go before the king to stop the plan from unfolding. That was a risky move in the culture of that day, but to persuade her, Mordecai asked her a very thought-provoking question: “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, NKJV). Esther gained the courage to take action, and she was able to successfully stop the plan.
Indeed, we see how God uniquely ordered Esther’s steps to place her in the position to be able to save her people. God does the same for us today! He will strategically and intentionally order your steps so that you are placed in a position to make a big difference.
Know that you are important to God and to the fulfillment of His plan. He has a special mission for you, and He has called you “for such a time as this.” Trust Him that every step you take, even the ones that seem routine and mundane, will have a valuable purpose in fulfilling His plan.
Reflections 