Each Easter when I was a girl, my Dad used to create elaborate Easter egg hunts for me. They weren’t the regular type of Easter egg hunt, however, where little egg-shaped chocolate treats are scattered around the house or yard and it was just a matter of wandering around and finding them.

No, nothing was that simple with my Dad. Instead, there was one big treat for me to find, like a large chocolate Easter bunny. And I couldn’t just wander the house searching for it, either.

I had to solve a fiendishly clever riddle my Dad had devised, which would lead me to look under a certain object in the house. There I’d find another riddle which I had to solve in order to find the next hidden clue. I’d be led from one clue to another, and finally to the prize itself.

Sometimes I think the way God leads us is a little like this.

God rarely gives us the full picture of where our lives are going. He doesn’t show us the grand plan ahead of time, like a blueprint or map that we can see all at once.

Instead, he usually leads us one step at a time.

This can be frustrating for us, because we crave a sense of certainty; we want to know what’s coming around the next bend in the road. We’d like to have a sense beforehand of where the plot is going and where we’ll end up.

But think of it this way: if God showed us the whole story of our lives ahead of time, we’d aim straight for the destination. We’d go prancing off and try to accomplish it our own way. We’d be liable to think we don’t need to rely on God any longer. We’d take shortcuts and make a beeline for the prize.

In so doing, we’d bypass the very struggles and obstacles that God uses to strengthen us and prepare us. If we had the whole picture, we’d focus on the goal and miss out on the process.

God knows this wouldn’t be in our best interest, so He gives us just enough light to travel to the next point on our map. When we get there, a bit more of the path is revealed, so we can take a few more steps forward. He leads us clue by clue, like a treasure hunt, into His will for our lives.

In this way, we remain fully dependent on Him. He reveals His plan for our lives in increments, so we must continue to trust in Him and look to Him for every single step.

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NLT)

“You are my lamp, Lord; the Lord illumines my darkness.” (2 Samuel 22:29 CEB)

Scripture tells us that God and His word are like a lamp that you hold out in front of you as you walk. Lamps don’t light up the entire path for you, but give you enough illumination for the next few steps.

Even though we can’t see very far down the path our lives will take, we can trust the God who is leading us. He knows what’s best for us.

“Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.” (Psalm 119:35 NLT)

“You are my God. Show me what you want me to do, and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path.” (Psalm 143:10 CEV)

Let’s trust the One who has given us the best light to walk by: His Word and His Son. If we follow them, we can be led to the ultimate prize: eternal life in God’s presence.

“You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” (Psalm 16:11 CSB)

The ultimate treasure hunt is discovering God’s will for our lives as He leads us on the path that is best for us. Just crack open your Bibles, and follow the clues!

© 2020 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.