By: Jenifer Metzger
This past weekend I was out of town for a women's retreat with the ladies at my church. When we left the church hosting the retreat to grab some lunch, I pulled up the GPS on my phone. Now, we have been to this town many, many times so my mom who was driving had a rough idea of where we were and where we needed to go. But we followed the GPS because that's just what you do.
From the parking lot, we were directed to turn right. Then a few blocks up the road the GPS instructs us to turn right again. After a couple of miles she tells us to turn right again. Then the final direction said to turn right, again. Uh, hello? We just made a big square! It made no sense at all! What would have made sense would be to take a left out of the church parking lot, then one more left and arrive. It would have been an easier and likely faster way to go. The GPS way seemed crazy.
Sometimes this is how we feel with God's path. His path doesn't always make sense. In fact, sometimes it makes absolutely no sense at all! There are too many twists and turns. Too many bumps along the way. In our thinking, there is a better, easier, more straight path to go.
God's path may not always be straight. There may be turns and even dead ends that seem pointless to us. But we can trust God. Sometimes He is protecting us, sometimes He is teaching us, sometimes He is placing us in a position to help others, sometimes He is placing us in a position to be blessed. No matter the reason may be, we can trust that God has a plan and His plan will never, ever harm us. So when your path makes no sense, trust God.
This past weekend I was out of town for a women's retreat with the ladies at my church. When we left the church hosting the retreat to grab some lunch, I pulled up the GPS on my phone. Now, we have been to this town many, many times so my mom who was driving had a rough idea of where we were and where we needed to go. But we followed the GPS because that's just what you do.
From the parking lot, we were directed to turn right. Then a few blocks up the road the GPS instructs us to turn right again. After a couple of miles she tells us to turn right again. Then the final direction said to turn right, again. Uh, hello? We just made a big square! It made no sense at all! What would have made sense would be to take a left out of the church parking lot, then one more left and arrive. It would have been an easier and likely faster way to go. The GPS way seemed crazy.
Sometimes this is how we feel with God's path. His path doesn't always make sense. In fact, sometimes it makes absolutely no sense at all! There are too many twists and turns. Too many bumps along the way. In our thinking, there is a better, easier, more straight path to go.
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.
This is the Lord's declaration. For as heaven is higher than the earth, so My
ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9
God's path may not always be straight. There may be turns and even dead ends that seem pointless to us. But we can trust God. Sometimes He is protecting us, sometimes He is teaching us, sometimes He is placing us in a position to help others, sometimes He is placing us in a position to be blessed. No matter the reason may be, we can trust that God has a plan and His plan will never, ever harm us. So when your path makes no sense, trust God.
It's time for Share A Link Wednesday! Each Wednesday we invite you to leave a link to your latest blog post in the comments. We still desire to connect women of God with one another and encourage each other in Christ. So grab a cup of coffee or glass of sweet tea, sit back and visit a few blogs. Be encouraged and share your own stories.
This week I'm sharing a book review of Sharon Garlough Brown's latest fiction release that deals with mental health awareness and the impact of spiritual formation: https://michelemorin.net/2019/10/09/exploring-depression-anxiety/
ReplyDeleteA GPS does take us on some odd routes sometimes. Thankfully wee can trust God's leading: even though a particular route doesn't seem to make sense, we can trust He has us there for a reason.
ReplyDeleteI wrote this week about how we tend to discourage those behind us on the path, and how we need to encourage them along instead: https://barbarah.wordpress.com/2019/10/07/just-wait-it-gets-harder/.
I've had that same experience with the GPS and it was so frustrating. Now I read the list of directions to see if they make sense before heading out. Often the GPS route is not the best. My post this week is about a hug that made a lot of people mad https://yvonnechase.com/hug/
ReplyDeleteI've had my GPS do the same thing. ha. (That's why I can barely get my husband to agree to use GPS.) Nonetheless, I usually still follow the directions my GPS gives me, because even though it may sometimes take me the long way around, it usually gets me to the right spot. So I like your analogy about God. The route he takes us may not be the shortest one, but it's always the best one.
ReplyDeleteMy post today is about just showing up, which not coincidentally to God, I need to hear again today myself. :)
https://www.lisanotes.com/dont-want-to-show-up/
It is amazing how even with a GPS, we can still manage to lose our way. Wonderful analogy!
ReplyDeleteMy post today is a review of a delightful children's book: http://www.joanneviola.com/2019/10/scarletts-spectacles-a-delightful-childrens-book/
On my blog I'm sharing about a book called, 'All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment' by Hannah Anderson ... https://thoughtsonbookss.blogspot.com/2019/10/all-thats-good-recovering-lost-art-of.html
ReplyDeleteAmen, Jennifer. When nothing makes sense we have to trust God. He has a plan and good for us. This week I wrote about children taking the Lord's name in vain,http://keepingthetiethatbinds.com/2019/10/10/do-your-children-know-the-importance-of-gods-name/
ReplyDelete