Most of us have at one time played the childhood game of “Follow the Leader.” We did all kinds of crazy things because that’s what the leader was doing. Did you know that we are still following a leader? We have to be in tune with the Spirit of God to know where He is leading us, but He will always be there to guide us if we let Him.

When the Israelites were traveling through the wilderness, they encamped or moved based on what the Lord was telling them to do with His presence. When He moved, they moved. But if He did not move, they stayed right where they were for however long He stayed there. I think sometimes we get ahead of God. He is supposed to be leading but we get tired of waiting and move ahead of Him. That’s when we can get into real trouble!

If we get ahead of God, we are stepping into the realm of the flesh. We are going by our feelings, our own desires or our impatience to get things moving along. God warns us to be in tune with His Spirit so we don’t fall into the trap of the flesh. I cannot tell you the number of times that I thought God was delayed and needed my help in carrying something out. This is not a new thing. Remember Sarah “helping God” by giving Abraham her maidservant Hagar to have a child? There are many examples in the Bible of people not waiting for God but trying to lead instead of following.

The words “keep in step” really stood out to me here. I am not supposed to walk ahead of the Spirit, acting like the leader I am not supposed to be. Nor should I fall so far behind Him that I cannot see the way He is leading me. I am to keep in step with Him, creating a rhythm together of moving closer to God and His plan for my life.