Taking that first step

By Charles Christian

The hardest thing about beginning anything new is simply starting. Taking the first steps can be difficult. It requires motivation and trust.

When we start something, we are plagued by immediate challenges that accompany any new adventure. Often we are also hindered by concerns that we won’t be able to finish what we have started.

For people of faith, taking initial steps comes with help, though. In most of religious life, baptisms do not happen in isolation. Instead, we are surrounded by leaders, family members and friends, along with others in our community.

The same is true for weddings. In most religious weddings, we stand before others and with those who are precious to us to take the important steps of matrimony together. Likewise, even in death, perhaps the biggest step of all, Christian funerals, as well as other religious funerals, are attended by our community of faith, our family and other loved ones.

Most importantly, the common attendee in all of the “new beginnings” in our lives is God. In fact, the Bible shares many words of comfort from God assuring those who are taking new and sometimes life-altering steps that God is near. For instance, in the book of Philippians in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul writes, “… he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion …” (Philippians 1:6).

So whatever big steps or first steps you feel called to take in the new year, the good news is that you are not alone. There are caring and loving people around who can help you take those first big steps. Also, there is a loving God who promises not only to lead you into new steps of faith but also to walk with you all the way so that you can see it through to completion. Take the first step, and then another and allow God to lead the way.