When the Next Step Feels Impossible: Lessons from the Jordan River

Have you ever stood on the edge of a big decision and felt completely stuck? You know something needs to change. You sense God stirring something new. But all you see in front of you is uncertainty—like a rushing river you’re not sure you can cross.

You’re not alone.

In Joshua 3, the people of Israel found themselves on the edge of something long-awaited. After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, they were finally about to step into the land God had promised. But one final barrier stood in their way: the Jordan River. It looked impossible.

Yet God gave a strange instruction. The priests, carrying the ark of the covenant, were told to walk directly into the water. The river didn’t stop ahead of time. It wasn’t until their feet touched the edge that anything changed.

And then everything did.

Joshua 3:16 says, “The waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan… And the people passed over opposite Jericho.”

The miracle happened after the step of faith.

That’s so often how God works in our own lives. We long for certainty, for signs, for a safe path before we move. But God often invites us to trust Him without the full picture. Sometimes the river won’t move until we do.

The Jordan wasn’t just a river

It marked more than a geographical crossing. It was the boundary between the wilderness and the promised land. Between wandering and walking in purpose. Between surviving and stepping into the future God had prepared.

Big decisions can feel like that—standing on the edge of something new, unsure whether to go forward. But the obstacle in front of you might not be there to stop you. It might be there to show you that God is with you. That He is faithful. That He can make a way.

Following His presence

The ark of the covenant went ahead of the people into the river. It represented God’s presence among them. The message was clear: you’re not crossing this alone.

Joshua told the people, “As soon as the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord… shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters… shall be cut off” (Joshua 3:13).

God’s presence still leads us today—through prayer, His Word, and the quiet prompting of the Spirit. He doesn’t always show us the full map, but He always walks with us through the unknown.

Don’t forget what He’s done

After they crossed, Joshua had twelve men pick up stones from the middle of the riverbed to build a memorial. A way to remember the faithfulness of God.

When you face future decisions—or when fear starts to rise again—you’ll need reminders of what God has already brought you through. Those moments become your own pile of stones, pointing back to a faithful God who made a way when there wasn’t one.

So where are you standing today?

Maybe you’re at the edge of a relationship decision, a calling, a move, a risk. Maybe the water is high and the next step feels uncertain. But don’t forget this: the river didn’t part until they moved. It didn’t stop until they stepped in.

And when they did, they walked through on dry ground.

God may be asking you to do the same—to trust Him with one step, even if you can’t yet see the other side.

He’s not waiting for you to have it all figured out. He’s just waiting for your feet to touch the water.