Have you ever felt completely trapped, with no visible way out? Perhaps you’re facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge at work, a relationship that’s crumbling despite your best efforts, or a life transition that’s left you feeling lost and afraid. In these moments, it’s easy to give in to panic, to lash out at others, or to long for the perceived safety of the past. But what if, even in our most dire circumstances, there’s a path forward that we simply can’t see yet?
The story of the Israelites fleeing Egypt offers a powerful lesson in faith, fear, and moving forward when all seems lost. After generations of slavery, the people of Israel had finally been freed. Yet their jubilation quickly turned to terror as they found themselves trapped between the advancing Egyptian army and the impassable Red Sea. In their panic, they cried out to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?” (Exodus 14:11)
It’s easy to judge the Israelites for their lack of faith, but their reaction is deeply human. When we’re faced with overwhelming obstacles, our instinct is often to retreat to what’s familiar, even if it’s harmful. The Israelites had known nothing but oppression for 400 years. In their fear, even slavery seemed preferable to the unknown dangers ahead.
Fear, as Frank Herbert wrote in “Dune,” is indeed “the mind-killer.” How often have our own fears prevented us from growth, from stepping into new opportunities, or from trusting in a greater plan for our lives? Whether it’s social anxiety holding us back from new experiences or the fear of failure keeping us in unfulfilling jobs, fear has a way of limiting our vision and trapping us in place.
But in this moment of crisis, Moses offers a radical alternative: “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today” (Exodus 14:13). To the panicked Israelites, this must have sounded absurd. How could they not be afraid with an army bearing down on them and no escape in sight?
Yet Moses’ words weren’t based on a clever plan or military strategy. They were rooted in something far more powerful: faith. Faith isn’t about having all the answers or seeing the entire path laid out before us. It’s about trusting that even when we can’t see a way forward, God is already at work making a path.
This kind of faith requires stillness – not physical immobility, but a quieting of our anxious hearts and racing minds. It’s a resistance against fear and despair, a grounding of ourselves in trust. As Moses told the people, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still” (Exodus 14:14).
But stillness doesn’t mean passivity. God’s next command to Moses is surprising: “Tell the Israelites to go forward” (Exodus 14:15). Forward? Into the sea? It didn’t make logical sense, but sometimes the very obstacle in our path can become the means of our deliverance.
How often do we find ourselves in similar situations? We pray for guidance, for a clear sign of what to do next, but instead of a detailed roadmap, we get a simple command: Go forward. Take the next step. Even when it doesn’t make sense, even when we can’t see where it leads.
This is the essence of faith – moving forward before we see the full picture, trusting that as we step out, the path will appear beneath our feet. It’s true in our personal lives and in our communities. We want clarity and confirmation before we act, but often, it’s only in the act of moving forward that we begin to see God’s plan unfold.
The Israelites couldn’t see the parted waters until they began to walk. Similarly, we may not see how God is working in our circumstances until we take that first step of faith. The Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius once wrote, “The impediment to action advances action.” In other words, the very things that seem to block our way can often lead us to better solutions, deeper trust, and unexpected growth.
This truth applies to all areas of our lives. Maybe you’re feeling trapped in a job that no longer fulfills you, but you’re afraid to make a change. Perhaps you’re facing a health challenge that seems insurmountable. Or you might be part of a community or organization that’s struggling to find its way forward in changing times. In all these situations, the principle remains the same: Go forward, even when the path isn’t clear.
Remember, God didn’t free the Israelites from slavery just to abandon them in the desert. And whatever situation you’re facing now, you haven’t been brought to this point just to be left stranded. You have a purpose, an identity, and a calling. The only way to discover it fully is to keep moving forward.
This doesn’t mean you need to have all the answers right now. You don’t need to see how everything will work out. You simply need to trust that the God who has brought you this far will see you through what lies ahead. As the old saying goes, “The same God that leads us to it will see us through it.”
So today, whatever sea of impossibility you’re facing, whatever army of fears is pursuing you, hear these words: Go forward. Even when it’s hard. Even when the path is unclear. Even when your anxieties tell you that you’re trapped. Go forward, because God is already making a way where there seems to be no way.
Take that first step. Apply for that job. Have that difficult conversation. Make that change you’ve been putting off. Reach out for help. Whatever your next step is, take it in faith. You may not see the waters part immediately, but as you move forward in trust, you’ll discover that the path appears beneath your feet, one step at a time.
