I Can't Lead Myself - Jeremiah 10:23-24 by Pastor Paul Jacks

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing Our Blindness in Self-Direction

Jeremiah’s confession—"it is not for them to direct their steps"—exposes the illusion of human control. Like travelers following a crowd in an unfamiliar airport, we often assume we know the way until confusion reveals our limits. Life’s complexity demands more than sincerity or confidence; it requires humility to admit our vision is partial. God, who designed every road, invites us to release the steering wheel and trust His navigation. True freedom begins when we stop pretending we can map eternity. [19:14]

“Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing.”
(Jeremiah 10:23-24, NIV)

Reflection: Where have you stubbornly clung to “your way” only to hit a dead end? What would it look like to hand God the map today?

Day 2: The GPS of God’s Wisdom Over Self-Sufficient Maps

Culture applauds those who “captain their own ship,” but God’s people thrive by following His reroutes. Like a driver ignoring GPS instructions only to get lost, we mistake independence for strength. Yet the Creator, who sees beyond traffic jams and detours, reroutes us not to restrict but to rescue. His voice—whether a whisper or a U-turn command—is always orienting us toward life. Surrender isn’t losing control; it’s trading guesswork for guaranteed arrival. [28:44]

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)

Reflection: What “destination” have you programmed into your life’s GPS that God might be asking you to delete? How can you practice listening before moving this week?

Day 3: Course Correction as an Act of Love

Jeremiah’s plea—“discipline me, Lord”—reframes divine correction as grace, not punishment. A parent redirects a child nearing danger not to shame but to protect. God’s adjustments—slowing us down, halting harmful choices, or nudging us toward forgiveness—are love letters written in ink we often misread as inconvenience. His recalibrations keep us from the cliff’s edge we couldn’t see. [30:33]

“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
(Proverbs 3:11-12, NIV)

Reflection: When has God’s correction felt like restraint rather than rescue? How might His past redirections have spared you unseen pain?

Day 4: The Unknown Destination of Faithful Steps

Abraham left Ur without a map; the airport wanderer followed signs, not certainty. Faith walks toward “a land I will show you” (Genesis 12:1), not a pinned location. God’s will often unfolds like sunrise—glimpses of light that only make sense in hindsight. Our job isn’t to demand the full itinerary but to take the next illuminated step. The destination is His secret; the journey becomes our testimony. [36:55]

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.’”
(Genesis 12:1, NIV)

Reflection: What “unknown” is God asking you to walk into without full clarity? How can you focus on the next step rather than the horizon?

Day 5: Dependence in a World That Praises Independence

Society crowns the self-made, but the cross crowns the surrendered. Jeremiah’s prayer dismantles the myth that maturity means needing God less. Like a vine clinging to a trellis, our strength comes from embracing dependency. Every “I’ve got this” moment risks missing the deeper joy of “He’s got me.” True power lies not in self-sufficiency but in daily saying, “I need Thee every hour.” [40:35]

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”
(Proverbs 14:12, NIV)

Reflection: Where has cultural pressure to “be your own boss” crept into your spiritual life? What one area will you consciously entrust to God’s leadership today?

Sermon Summary

Jeremiah 10 puts the true God next to the idols people made with their own hands. Jeremiah says those idols come from trees, need to be carried around, have no breath, and cannot do anything for themselves. God, on the other hand, is the living God, the eternal King, the Maker of all things. God made the earth by his power, founded the world by his wisdom, and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

Jeremiah’s prayer in verses 23 and 24 flows out of that truth: “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own. It is not for them to direct their steps.” The claim is simple but hard: “I can’t lead myself.” Human beings can be sincere and still wrong, confident and still wrong, experienced and still wrong. The way that appears right can still lead to death when it is absent of God.

American culture teaches independence, self-sufficiency, following the heart, and making a personal path. Independence can be good in the world, but spiritual independence is at odds with what God wants from his people. God does not call his children to figure out life alone and then ask him to bless the route already chosen. Dependence says, “God, you lead me,” not merely, “God, guide the plan I already made.”

The GPS image shows the difference. Self-direction puts in the destination and asks God to give directions there. Trust puts the destination in God’s hands because God sees the beginning, the end, the bad turns, the things that will trip somebody up, and the road that will bring a life where it needs to go. God sits outside of time, while people can barely see what is in front of them.

Jeremiah also asks, “Correct me, Lord.” God’s correction is not rejection. God disciplines those he loves, like a father delights in his son. God may say turn around, slow down, wait, forgive, stay, leave, or simply keep going. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit become the signs that lead God’s people when the crowd is going in different directions and the destination is still unknown.

The call is not to know every step at once. The call is to trust God one day at a time, take baby steps of faith, and believe that the God who gave new life is still active, involved, leading, guiding, providing, and protecting.

##

Key Takeaways

1. Lives are not our own Jeremiah’s confession cuts against the idea that a person belongs only to himself. God made every life, knows every life, and has authority over every life. Dependence begins when self-ownership gives way to God’s wise leadership. [19:14]
2. Confidence can still be wrong Human certainty does not make a path right. A person can be sincere, experienced, and completely convinced, yet still be headed the wrong way. God’s omniscience is the reason his direction must matter more than personal confidence. [20:23]
3. Let God set the destination Trust is more than asking God to bless a route already chosen. The GPS image exposes the temptation to decide the destination first and use God only for directions. Faith lets God determine where a life needs to end up. [28:44]
4. Correction is evidence of love Jeremiah does not run from God’s correction but asks for it in due measure. God’s discipline is not anger meant to destroy his children but love meant to bring them back to the right path. A corrected life can become a life that sees God’s hand more clearly. [37:52]
5. Trust God one day at a time Dependence is not a one-day decision that removes every question about the future. God often gives enough light for the next step while keeping the final destination out of sight. Daily trust builds courage to obey when the road does not make sense.

## [41:20]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[09:20] - I Need Thee Every Hour
[11:02] - Independence and Dependence on God
[14:03] - Jeremiah 10:23-24
[15:22] - The True God and Worthless Idols
[19:14] - I Can’t Lead Myself
[21:15] - It Is Not for Us to Direct Steps
[24:48] - God, Guide Me or God, Lead Me
[27:51] - Let God Set the Destination
[30:33] - Correct Me, O Lord
[32:28] - Following Signs on an Unknown Path
[35:14] - God Orchestrates the Journey
[39:46] - Rejecting Self-Sufficiency
[41:20] - Trusting God One Day at a Time

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 10:23-24
“Lord, I know that people's lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure— not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing.” [14:03]

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” [27:05]

Proverbs 14:12
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” [23:34]

Observation questions

In Jeremiah 10, what contrasts are made between idols and the Lord, especially in what they can or cannot do? [16:48]
What two things does Jeremiah confess about human lives and human ability to direct their steps in Jeremiah 10:23?
In Jeremiah 10:24, what does Jeremiah ask God to do, and what limit does he ask God to place on that correction? [30:25]
According to Proverbs 3:5–6, what are believers told not to lean on, and what promise is given to those who trust and acknowledge the Lord? [27:01]

Interpretation questions

Why does Jeremiah’s description of God as the Creator, living God, and eternal King matter before he prays, “It is not for them to direct their steps”? [17:36]
Proverbs 14:12 says that a way can appear right but end in death. What makes a path seem right to someone even when it is not God’s path? [23:32]
What is the difference between asking God to bless a destination already chosen and asking God to lead to the destination he chooses? [25:36]
Why can God’s correction be understood as love rather than rejection, even when it requires a person to turn around, wait, forgive, stay, or leave? [37:52]

Application questions

What area of life is most tempting to manage without God’s direction right now—work, relationships, money, family, a major decision, or something else? What would dependence on God look like in that specific area? [40:22]
Have there been times when confidence, experience, or strong feelings led to a decision that was not wise? Looking back, what might have helped make room for God’s direction? [20:13]
Is there a destination already set in the heart—a plan, dream, timeline, or outcome—that may need to be placed back into God’s hands? What would it look like to pray, “God, you lead me,” instead of only asking him to bless the plan? [28:44]
When God’s direction is unclear, where can the group look for the “signs” that lead in the right direction? How can Scripture, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and wise believers help with the next step? [34:51]
Is there a possible correction from God that needs attention: turning around, slowing down, waiting, forgiving, letting go, staying, or taking a step forward? What makes it difficult to respond? [31:09]
What is one small, practical step of trust that can be taken in the next day or two, even if the whole path and destination are still unknown? [41:20]

Sermon Clips

37s

#TrustGodsPlan

“dependence on god isn't putting in a destination and allowing god to bless the steps. Put trusting in god and being dependent on him is to trust him to put the destination in for you because he knows where you need to end up. That's the thing about god. See, our our our mental capacity is not enough to understand and and and be able to embrace who god is because god sits outside of time. God can see your end and your beginning.”

56s

#GodGuidesYourPath

“We gotta trust that god has and knows what our destination is and knows us better than we know ourselves. It's gonna be easy to make a decision for yourself. It's gonna be easy to think that you know better than god and and and a lot of times, we're not even making that kind of statement. We just we just have always operated in a in a world of being independent. We've operated in a world of being self sufficient, and that has been good and that served us well in the world. But god said, I don't need you to be self sufficient anymore. I need you to trust me. I need you to give your life to me. I need you to give every area of your life to me and become dependent on me.”

41s

#GodlyDirection

“We we think we are making the right decision. We we think and hope that this is the right move. But actuality and honesty, this path that if it's absent of god, it's gonna lead to death. So what we need to do is we need to admit our inability. God is omniscient. God is omnipresent, and god is, all powerful. And and because of those things, he can he can direct our paths because he knows the the destination we need to go.”

Ask a question about this sermon

New Creation Bible Church This sermon · AI assistant

What does complete dependence on God require?

Why can sincere confidence still lead us astray?

How does God redirect paths we choose?