The Fog on West Street
OPENING PRAYER:
Spirit of the Living God, You speak in whispers and nudges, in Scripture and in the quiet knowing of my heart. Help me recognize Your voice and respond with courage, even when I don't know where obedience will lead.
"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."
This wisdom literature from ancient Israel presents a fundamental tension in the life of faith: the call to trust God completely while resisting the human impulse to rely on our own logic and planning. The Hebrew word for "trust" (batach) implies a sense of security and confidence, while "lean" (sha'an) suggests dependence or relying upon something for support.
REFLECT:
Pastor Jarred shared a deeply personal story in the message about driving past a homeless man for two weeks, feeling the Holy Spirit's nudge to stop and have a conversation. For two weeks, he had excuses: too busy, uncertain about what would happen, unsure of what to say. When he finally obeyed and brought two McDonald's number twos, the encounter didn't go as expected. The man didn't say thank you. There was no heartwarming conversation. It felt like a failure. But that one act of obedience, even though it seemed unsuccessful, opened the pastor's eyes to what God wanted to do next. It led to the "Love the Homeless" initiative with middle school students. It eventually led to a conversation about becoming the missions director at Pathway Church, which changed the entire trajectory of his life.
This is how obedience works. We want God to show us the full map before we take the first step. We want to know that our obedience will produce the results we hope for. But God rarely works that way. He asks us to take the step, and then, often only after we've moved, He shows us what comes next. Jarred’s story illustrates a profound truth: obedience opens your eyes. You don't obey because you see clearly; you see clearly because you obeyed. That first awkward, seemingly failed conversation with a homeless man was the hinge on which an entire ministry calling swung open. What if he'd waited for clarity? What if he'd demanded to understand the full plan before stopping? He would have missed everything that followed.
I WILL STATEMENT:
I will trust Jesus with my next step, even when its foggy.
For two weeks, Jarred drove past the same homeless man, feeling the same nudge, making the same excuses. What have you been driving past? What nudge have you been ignoring? Identify the specific thing the Holy Spirit has been prompting you to do, the conversation, the apology, the act of generosity, the step of faith. Set a deadline: within the next 48 hours, you will obey that nudge. Don't wait for it to feel comfortable or for the outcome to be guaranteed. Just do it, and watch what God opens up next.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Father, thank You for being patient with my excuses and my delays. Forgive me for the times I've driven past the very thing You've asked me to do. Give me the courage to stop, to step out, to obey—even when I can't see past my hood. I trust that You will show me what comes next.
PRAYER REQUEST:
Share your prayer request and pray for others.