Every Journey Begins With a StepSample

Limit steps backward.

Be aware of temptations to take steps backward. Although God called him out, Abram changed course when things got hard. Some scholars relate Egypt with returning to comfort, the “world,” or our old ways. When Abram got hungry, he went to where the food was instead of asking God.

It can be tempting to go back to what we’ve known and where we are more comfortable – even when it’s not the direction God’s given us. We naturally lean toward comfort and may desire what the world offers, especially in hard times. The world's ways may seem pleasant and easy, but we must stay the path.

My personal “Egypt” has been to take back control of decisions that God has already asked me to let go of. Part of a healthy leadership journey is learning to delegate and trust my team. This has been an area in which I’m continuing to learn and grow. It can be incredibly challenging when we’re facing difficult decisions and circumstances. My first instinct is to use my knowledge and experience to direct us. However, God has grown our team and added people with expertise, and I have to choose His plan over my own.

We can also find ourselves falling back into old patterns and habits in our personal lives. We are most susceptible when we’re weak. Abraham went back to Egypt when he was hungry. We must continually steward our time, bodies, and resources, so we don’t give our flesh or enemy any room to make us doubt or falter. When we are strengthening all areas – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational – we’ll be more willing and able to choose what is best over what we want at the moment.

We know we will have hard times (John 16:33), but we can trust God is always with us and will guide us when we let Him. It’s important to seek God every day through prayer and scripture. It’s also helpful to have trusted people who can see when we fall back into our old ways. Invite God and people to speak into your life so you can continue stepping forward in faith rather than going back to Egypt when you feel weak.

Ask yourself: Am I following God’s plan or my own? How can we resist “Egypt” when times get tough?