Not My Way to Go

I will begin these thoughts with the word “But.”  It is such a small word, yet sometimes it carries the greatest truth. 

But God knows which way is best for our spiritual growth.

“Come on,” you may be thinking.  “There’s got to be more to this thought.”  Yes, there is.

We cannot see around the corner of life, but God can.  He sees all, He knows all, and He desires good things for His children.  We must believe this.  It is absolutely true!

God desires an abundant life for us, despite what the devil tries to feed us.  God’s omnipotent power gives Him all authority and the ability to know what is best for us.  Yes, there are times when He says, “No.”  No to the direction we want to take.  No to the road we think will bring us happiness.  No to the plans we have carefully made.

And sometimes, His “no” is the very thing that protects us.

He redirects us for our betterment—not only for our spiritual growth and protection, but also for our physical well-being and mental clarity.  What does that mean, exactly?

It means that we are finite.  We are limited in our ability to know what is best for our own lives, our welfare, and our prosperity.  God, however, is infinite and omniscient.  He sees what we cannot see.  He knows what lies around the corner—what may be waiting to deceive, discourage, or devour us.

We must trust God with our coming and going because He knows best.  It really is as simple as that.  And as we trust Him, we walk in victory.

Peace becomes our companion as we travel His way, because Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  When we insist on going our own way, we are often moving in our own strength, like a lone wolf.

But wait. Didn't Jesus say, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”?  Yes, He did.  Then why do we sometimes feel so alone?

Perhaps it is because we have persisted in going our own way, refusing to heed the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit when He whispers, “Go this way.”

We learn through our mistakes.  And God is patient.  God is loving.  God is God.  He knows the way that leads to the best outcome, the right resolution, and the purpose He has prepared for us.

We may feel dissatisfied—even completely disappointed—when God says, “No.”  We may not understand why He has closed a door or changed the direction we thought our lives should take.  But He is our Heavenly Father, and we can trust Him with our lives.

Why?

Because through past experiences and prior encounters with the spirit of darkness, we have learned that God truly cares about what happens to us.  He cares when we struggle because we insisted on going our own way.  He cares enough to gently bring us back when we wander.

Remember the story Jesus told about the shepherd who had one sheep wander away from the ninety-nine?  The shepherd went looking.  He searched until he found the one who was lost.  And when he found it, he lovingly picked it up and carried it home.

You’ve heard of “Footprints in the Sand.”  Perhaps those footprints are not ours at all.  Perhaps they are Jesus’ prints.

When we are too weary to walk, He carries us close to His heart.  When we have wandered too far, He comes looking for us.  When we have lost our way, He does not abandon us.  He brings us home.

We are the sheep of His pasture.

And sometimes, the way we wanted to go is not the way He intends for us to go.  But God knows best.

So, when He says, “No,” let us learn to trust Him.  When He says, “Wait,” let us learn to be patient.  When He says, “Go this way,” let us follow.  Because the road He chooses for us may not always be the road we would have chosen for ourselves—but it is the road where He walks beside us.

And if Jesus is with us, we are never truly alone.

Written by,

Papa Boyd