This hit me this morning (and by the way, I won't always post such thoughts daily)... Proverbs 4:18-19 - In these verses I am reminded of the Dimmer Switch principle (Larry Osborne in "Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God"). His point is this: the path (as guided by the heart) of those who ignore God's promptings in their life gets darker and darker over time...so much so that over time it becomes hard to move forward because the path seems so dim and unclear. On the other hand, the path of the righteous becomes brighter and brighter because they become more attuned to God's light in their life and heart. And so...each time a right choice is made, making right choices in the future becomes easier! After quoting these verses, he writes:

...the longer we walk in obedience, the clearer the spiritual picture becomes. Subtle distinctions that were once indiscernible become obvious; things we would ahve never noticed at first suddenly can't be missed. I find this to be incredibly encouraging. It means I don't have to worry about all the things I don't know. I just ahve to respond to the light I have, and the rest will come in God's time. It means that God-pleasing spirituality can happen instantly - the moment I start the journey! Maturity and spiritual depth take time. But I can please god right away because it's not a matter of how much I know or how long I've been at it. It's a matter of what I do with what I already have that matters most.

For me, here's how I will personalize it: My path gets a little darker (that is, less clear) every time I turn from God's lead but my path gets a little brighter (that is, more clear) every time I follow God's lead. Lord, I invite you to guide me through this day. As you do, please help me to follow in the direction you lead me. I trust that day by day you'll bring me closer to you and make my path brighter and brighter so that I can walk for you! Amen