What does it mean to step “faithfully forward”? Is it blindly moving ahead without planning or purpose? Of course not. Is it just expecting God to take over and do it all? No. We know that God doesn’t work that way.
Well, the Bible tells us in Hebrew’s 11:1 (NIV), “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” And Philippians 3:14 reads, “I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Jesus Christ.”
With that biblical guidance, I believe that to go “faithfully forward” is to prayerfully set a goal, work hard to reach it, and then have the faith to know that the Holy Spirit is right beside us every step of the way, guiding us to victory. However, it can still be a little scary. And often fear of the unknown or of the challenges we face can keep us from being able to see God’s promises.
The path we plan to take to reach our goal can also change without notice and then we must adapt. That can be hard to do. We want everything in life to be a direct path. But often God takes us on a different journey. Yes, there are challenges to overcome. Are we going to see only the challenges or trust in God’s promises? Pointing out only the problems and roadblocks can derail us. But, moving forward with the knowledge of God’s presence and faith in God’s love and guidance can lead to success and glorious celebration.
That’s why we chose the theme Faithfully Forward for the Day of Giving, March 23, 2024. We hope that you will join your United Women in Faith sisters around the world on that day in celebration as we step Faithfully Forward, uniting hearts and hands to create a brighter, more compassionate tomorrow for women, children, and youth.