In Lysa TerKeurst book ‘the Best Yes’, she quotes Andy Stanley from his book ‘The Principles of the Path’. It reads as follows:
“The direction you are currently traveling–relationally, financially, spiritually, and the list goes on and on–will determine where you end up in each of those respective arenas. This is true regardless of your goals, your dreams, your wishes, or your wants. The principle of the path trumps all those things.
Your current direction will determine your destination. And like every principle, you can leverage this one to your advantage or ignore it to your disadvantage. Just as these are paths that have led us to places we never intended to be, there are paths that lead us away from those places as well.”
Is there ever a place within our “path” that God is not present? I say NOT, but God doesn’t stop there. It may be a reality that many do not care for, but its truth holds: we are responsible do our part. God is not our genie-in-a-bottle nor is He to be treated so. God created mankind with an intellect, emotion, and will; therefore, let’s use it for His glory and honor. God holds us accountable.
I am reminded of a “path-choice” that my husband and I had to make many years ago. Oh, the agony of that choice was incredibly hard. That choice result had a life or death possibility for me and/or our baby, and let me tell you it was not an easy decision to make. I cannot begin to calculate how much time we spent in prayer over this decision –to “do” or “not to do.” We fasted over those weeks pleading with God to show us His will regardless of our fears.
Finally, the answer came. We made our decision. I would have the needed surgery. We placed our full trust in the Lord’s timing, His will, and His plan for our first born’s life and mine. She and I were just beginning our second trimester. I will not lie to you, my husband and I were scared, nervous, yet at peace all at the same time with our God-decision-path; this surgery couldn’t wait til she was born. Our lives were in danger, yet the ‘path’ we choose was to cling onto thus trusting in God’s promises.
The surgery happened. Today, that child will be entering her teen years in just fourteen days. God’s hand was all over that surgery that day and the days that followed. He kept our baby safe inside me while the doctors did their job to keep us both alive. Peace abounded.
As we looked back (then and today), we are truly grateful for the wisdom and knowledge of those doctors. Thankful we stopped our thinking, our rationalization of the matter, and even giving up our concerns to choose to bask each one in prayer, fasting, then putting the Lord first with our whole hearts in this situation –on this path. I am thankful that we obeyed God’s leading, trusted God’s foreknowledge because He knew the whole story and we did not. I am thankful.
- I could share another ‘path’ with you that our family has faced, but that will have to wait til another day. This I will say, because some of you are thinking, “Ya, but my story or path has been much different than your happy ending.” This path was met with the same intense prayers brought before the Throne of Grace, the same fasting and pleads but the earthly outcome was much, much different. It was filled with incredible loss, the deepest depths of sorrow we have ever felt in our lives. The grief was so intense that I was unable to speak for weeks. So don’t be so quick to judge, but as you will see further down this post…God is still good, because I believe in HIM (Psalm 27:13).
Friends, I don’t know where you are today. Maybe you are seriously struggling. You just don’t know what to do. You may even be praying your heart out but hearing nothing.
If I may be honest with you –I am right there with you. Yes, me too! My heart is struggling right now over certain things that are happening in our lives. It’s hard. It’s really really hard. I get the struggle. It is real. So real that last night I cried myself to sleep. So believe me friend, I get it.
There’s also a few other things my soul ‘gets’ because of the healing power of Christ alone. He has been with us all the way. Over the past several years, we have met trials, heard silence, experienced joys and great sorrow, but it has only solidified the love of Christ, the power of God, and how much I need Him:
- This I do know, that God is good –He is good all the time because He is unchangeable. God cannot nor will not violate His own character, therefore, He is trustworthy, reliable, and consistent –when I am not. This brings incredible comfort, stability, regardless of how I ‘feel’.
- This I do know, that God loves me — and He loves you too. God has never once given up on us. We need only look to the Cross for that, yet there are million other ways He demonstrates His love towards us daily. Do you see them?
- This I do know, that God is in control. I may not see it, I may never understand His timing, and may wrestle with it, but God is in control. Period.
- This I do know, that God has my best interest in mind. Whatever He does, allows, gives, or takes He has one goal in mind, my best spirit-state. Notice I didn’t say, my best life-state, but my best spirit-state. His focus is my soul! His focus is your soul!
- This I do know, that God is God. May sound trite, but it isn’t. We can say “God is God” but once one lives “God is God” there is a gigantic realizations that occurs. First and foremost, you realize who you are before the Almighty God…dust, clay, a sinner who has been miraclously saved by God’s grace through the blood of Jesus.
- This I do know, that God has a earthly-life plan for me to fulfill, therefore, I only have one life to live. So do you! I want my life to count for Christ above all things.
My friends, take courage, take hope, take refuge, take assurance, take your salvation and cling to it…but share it! Yes, can life be difficult, it sure can, but when we seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, all these things will be added unto you (Matt. 6:33).
- God never breaks His promise, just remember He chooses the timing to give those promises and blessings to us. Keep the faith!
“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgements of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:7-11).
From my heart to yours, may it encourage your walk with Christ,
Colleen M. Woodruff, a servant of the Lord, blessed to be used of God to author and pen In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}
In Christ I am SHE 