“My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” Psalm 17:5
It’s nice to just get in the car and drive sometimes. Without any particular direction I can feel free to explore but more often than not after about an hour, I grow restless, experiencing a desire within myself for a direction.
I don’t think we as people were designed to wander aimlessly, considering our habit of making paths and roads, very clearly marking destinations. We all have this desire to know where we’re going. The call to follow Jesus gives that to us, and we love being lead to the place of abundant, eternal life, and the place of fulfilled purpose, but not so much the place of loving our enemies or the place of losing our life. When the destination we had in mind for our lives takes a turn toward somewhere we’d rather not go, we turn into Jonah, actively looking for one way tickets elsewhere. This off-road inclination leads us getting lost, our compass spinning without a destination, and wandering like the Israelites did. We then raise our fists against God, frustrated that He would call us to a place we don’t want to go, and leave us hanging when we walked away. Today, we open our stubborn, fearful nature that wants to define the value of a destination based on what it offers me, and firmly place our trust that God knows the goodness of the places He leads.
Reflection
What hard places do you feel like God is leading you to?
What value judgement have you made against that place that you need to confess and repent of?
Prayer
Lord, as I feel like Jonah being lead to Nineveh, I have to confess that this is not the direction I thought my life would be going. I can tell you every reason You don’t want me to go to this hard place, and why this place/these people are not worth my time or effort, or Yours, but know that Your compassion is unyielding and Jesus’ desire is always to go to dark places and bring light. Forgive me for running, and give me the compassion and grace you have for the destination you have set before me. Amen
