And yet, and yet…

This morning as I was driving to church, we had to travel through intense fog. Being close to a lake, this happens everytime the weather cools, and it makes a windy drive a lot more interesting not being able to see 10 feet in front of you.

In the midst of this journey through the fog, my 8 year old thought to share one of her deep (and generally out of nowhere) thoughts: “Dad, as we’re driving through the fog, it’s like we’re cutting a path through it.”

It makes me think of the paralysis so many of us face when it comes to making choices in life. We’re so afraid that we will make a decision that will cause problems for us, and we long to have someone else to follow. And yet, as connected as the world is, we still lack the confidence in knowing our way. So many wander in the fog of life, trying to not make movement lest they be seen.

For others, we’re weary of peering through the fog. We’ve spent a long period of time lacking a sureness of where we should stand or where we should go. We feel like we may be going in circles and the continued peril is wearing us down. Peering through fog can bring tentative steps.

For those tracking culture, this condition is called “Imposter Syndrome.” It is the overwhelming feeling that we don’t know what we are doing, and thus feel like imposters when we are doing the jobs or fulfilling the roles we’re called to. It’s a wearying thing looking into the fog of life and wondering if there’s anyone ahead of us.

But my daughter was right. Our job in the midst of the fog of life is not to wait for someone to clear the way, but to walk forward cutting a path in the fog. None of us knows what we’re doing, so every step is one of faith. For those of us in Jesus, we know that whether we see or not, he’ll be there to catch us through the mist.

Friend, today if you’re paralyzed on a decision because you don’t know what you’re doing, welcome to the club. All of us are driving a road shadowed by fog and we learn the way as we press forward. Trust in the one who calls you to guide, and cut a path through the fog for those behind.

Even if we don’t see the way, it’s still there; will we be faithful to step onto it?

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the certainty of things unseen. Hebrews 11:1