He Delights in the Details

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. (Psalms 37:23 NLT)

Having grown up in the church, I never had a problem believing that God directs the steps of the Godly. You can see that just in the way Godly people live their lives. It’s the second part of this verse that I sometimes struggle with. “He delights in every detail of their lives.” Every detail? Really? Does God really pay attention to which brand of toothpaste I choose to buy? Does he notice that I’ve been trying to eat better lately and that turning down the donut at church on Sunday was really difficult? Does he see that my budget is pretty tight in this difficult economy and that my wardrobe has gotten a bit threadbare, my car is making a funny noise and my boss is getting on my nerves at work?

I think he does. I imagine that it’s a bit like the way I delight in my children. Sure, raising them is difficult and sometimes they get on my nerves, but then I see them doing something that makes me smile. For example, my son is reading the directions on his new toy, very diligently trying to assemble it the right way. He puts a few pieces together, realizes it isn’t right, gets frustrated, takes it apart and tries again. I could jump in and show him exactly how it should be done, but then I’d rob him of the opportunity to figure it out, manage his emotions and complete it himself. I enjoy seeing him get to his accomplishment.

Another example is my daughter choosing a piece of fruit instead of chips for her lunch. What she really wants is a piece of chocolate cake, but she makes a healthy choice. She struggles to cut up the apple and get the core out but I let her do it on her own because it’s good for her to learn that she can do these things and be self-sufficient. The struggle makes her stronger, and the next time she’ll be more confident and it will be a little easier.

I don’t rescue my kids from every challenge that they encounter, but I’m there to help when they need me or to guide them when they don’t know what to do. Just like parents who love to watch their babies learn to crawl, walk and talk, so also does God loves to watch us grow and learn and overcome challenges that life throws at us. He delights in seeing us live our lives the way we were designed to live them. He knows that the struggle is necessary, because without it, there is no accomplishment. It’s in the details that he truly directs our steps. —Angelique Snow