Detours

Proverbs 3:5-6

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Have you ever set out to go somewhere, knowing exactly the route you were going to take, how it would look like as you made your way there, only to find at a pivotal point in your journey a large, orange sign that reads "detour?" It's a rather disconcerting feeling. Even if you have a general sense of where this detour is leading you, it's not as comfortable as your preferred route. You were expecting to see your favorite tree, or that lady who sometimes jogs along the sidewalk. Instead, you venture into unfamiliar territory, trusting that these orange signs know where they're leading you.

It happens in life, as well. We plan our route very carefully, knowing exactly what we plan to do, where we plan to go. You will go to X University for 4 years, graduate with your bachelor's degree, and land The Perfect Job. Then that big orange sign pops out of nowhere, and DETOUR. Things don't look like you want them to, and you're not quite sure where you're heading. But... a few months (or years) down the road, you turn back and find out that the detour got you where you needed to be just fine. Maybe it was an even better route than the one you originally planned.

If you grew up in church or attended a Christian school (like I did), you memorized Proverbs 3:5-6. My former church presented me with a throw embossed with it upon my high school graduation. I never quite understood why it said, "make your paths straight." I realize now that this basically means if you trust God completely, He's not going to let you down. Because, in reality, the path isn't always straight. Sometimes it winds erratically. Sometimes it slopes steeply. Sometimes it goes right through the muck and mire. But as long as you know Who is giving you directions, the destination is the same. An alternate version says, "he will direct your paths." This is probably more accurate, at least for me. When I hear that phrase, I imagine God telling me my next move, much like a GPS navigator in the car.

Personally, I am really glad my life didn't turn out like I planned in high school. I wouldn't have the loving, godly friends and family I have today. My detours have made me who I am, and I thank God that even though I don't always know where we're going, He does. And He will never leave me stranded.

Waiting (and waiting... and waiting...)

Isaiah 30:18

¹⁸ Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

1 Corinthians 1:8-9

⁸He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Who enjoys a nice, long wait? You're starving, it's dinner time, and you've gone to your favorite restaurant. You approach the host and she tells you, "It'll be about an hour wait." Your alarm didn't go off, you're already 15 minutes behind schedule, you pull onto the interstate and... traffic jam! Nobody enjoys waiting (well, I guess I shouldn't generalize; there are weirdos out there, but you get my drift). Lord knows, I have done my fair share!

I just started working again after being unemployed since December. Because of my not earning wages, I had to endure without internet as well. (Oh, the horror!) This blog is coming to you now because that long wait is over! Praise the Lord!

Waiting isn't always a bad thing, though. Waiting through a tough time while trusting in God can have a rewarding outcome. Romans 5 says, "we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."Amen!

I've never had much patience. Often if I know I can't finish a task as quickly as in one setting, I won't start it. I get irritated easily in traffic (but my new commute is teaching me a few things!). However, patience is indeed a virtue. Not throw around cliches willy-nilly, but many cliches become cliches because they are true. Furthermore, as Christians, we are called to be patient. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Colossians 3:12)

Sometimes, the waiting makes things even better. Food almost always tastes better when you're starving. A pool is more refreshing when you've spent long hours in the sweltering heat. And there is no greater feeling of accomplishment than when you've worked long and hard on something and you succeed. I just want to encourage those who are having a hard time with being patient to stick it out. The end result is worth it! God isn't in the habit of letting His children down.

Despair is a waste of your time, don't you know...

Psalm 42

¹ As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

³ My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

⁴ These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.

⁵ Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and ⁶ my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

⁷ Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

⁸ By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹ I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"

¹⁰ My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

¹¹ Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

I don't have much to add to this, really. I just wanted to share a psalm. This is one of my favorites. I really miss blogging and will try to update more soon!

Friends

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down,, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."


"Friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them..." You know, I really hate that song. Nothing against Michael W. Smith, but I had to sing that song at my senior prom, and therefore was forced to listen to it ad nauseam. However, the central theme of that song is true. Friends are essential to the Christian faith. God gives us people in our lives to help us through the hard times. It seems like common sense to know that, right? Most of us understand that the people in our lives serve to help us and for us to help them. It's a give and take thing. Then why do so many of us keep insisting on doing it all alone?

So many people (including myself) try to hide when they're going through a difficult time and not let anyone in. We play the martyr, thinking it's our cross to bear alone. But Jesus already did that, so why would we want to make things more difficult for ourselves than they need to be?

It's hard to put ourselves out there, yes; and when you let yourself be transparent and vulnerable, you're bound to get hurt at some point. However, the other option is to isolate yourself which ultimately leads to becoming numb or bitter and in turn will affect your relationship with God. He didn't mean for us to walk this road alone; that's why the church was built as a community. We are much more effective together than we are if we work alone.

Anyway, I've had this devotion sitting on my mac book for months. I finally got around to editing and posting it. I didn't delve too deep, but I feel like God just needed to remind me to not shut people out. I find myself in a season of my life where I can't tell everyone everything that's going on inside my head. This is new for me, because I'm usually such an open and honest person. Hence, I find myself struggling when I'm with certain people because I know I can't discuss what's weighing on my heart with them, and my first inclination is to shut them out. I know this is the wrong reaction, and perhaps I have caused myself more pain by acting in this manner. So God is working on me... I wanted to share it with you.