“Can I push the stroller, Mommy?”
I looked down at my 2 year old daughter, then nodded. “Okay, but let me take your brother out first.”
I pulled my 6 month old out of the stroller, then adjusted the handlebars low enough for my daughter to reach.
“Try to stay on the path,” I said, stepping out of the way.
Eagerly, she gripped the handle and began pushing. Within a few feet, the stroller angled off the path.
She stopped.
I stopped behind her, then quickly stepped out of the way as she backed up until the stroller was on the path again.
Happily, she resumed pushing the stroller along the path.
Following along behind, I wasn’t concerned when I saw her heading off the side again. Our path was surrounded by flat grass, and nobody else was on the path to be crashed into.
Again, my daughter stopped, backed up to realign, then pushed forward.
When she veered off to the side again a few feet later, she again stopped, backed up, and pushed onward.
It was very slow, clumsy progress.
Eventually, as I watched this pattern repeat again and again, I clued in to the problem. My daughter couldn’t see over the top of the stroller. She was steering blind.
All she could see was where her feet stood on the sidewalk and perhaps half a step forward. This wasn’t enough to allow her to steer successfully.
Why bring this up?
So often in life, I am like my 2 year old daughter in the story above.
I cannot see where I am going beyond the very place where I am standing.
Sure, I can look down at where my feet are and perhaps see half a step forwards, but I have no idea if the path is about to turn or continue straight.
Thankfully, I know the One who can see, and He wants to help me.
Sometimes, when I allow my daughter to push, I walk alongside the stroller with my hand on it. I direct where it goes. I keep it on the path for my daughter knowing she cannot.
God desires to do this for me. He wants to help me stay on the path.
If I stubbornly refuse to do things His way, He will step back and let me try my hand at keeping my life on the path.
That never ends well.
Today, may I submit to God’s direction and ask Him to help me keep my life on the path. He will help me.
“Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 CSB
“A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 CSB
