Stay on the Path

I was so excited, it had been over a month since I had really been home and seen my friends. All week we looked forward to a relaxing evening out in the country away from the noise and chaos of the city, and then it rained. This has been a wet summer so far so in my opinion we really didn’t need rain, but since I can’t control the weather, down it came.

For most of my life I have sought God’s will in one way or another. Sometimes actively, sometimes it was just a little thought in the back of my mind that I figured I’d get to at some point, and sometimes it has been an active daily seeking for guidance. Looking back I can see a couple of times where not only was I actively seeking God’s will and guidance, but He was lovingly leading me on the right path. I can also look back and see far too many times when I decided I knew better and went off on a path of my own. Only to find pain.

In Ephesians Paul writes a letter to the churches to help them better understand the dimensions of God’s eternal purpose and grace, and come to appreciate the high goals God has for the church. The church being the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:14 Then we will no longer be immature like children tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Sometimes that craftiness and deceitful scheming isn’t coming from others, sometimes when we want to do something we warp and scheme and turn from the Lord’s leading and guidance all on our own. And in that instant, we find ourselves at a crossroads with a choice to make.

* Step off the path of God’s will and onto the path of pain
* Or listen to His gentle calling and turn from the immaturity of finding pleasure in a moment

This is the situation I found myself in after the rains came and upset my plans. Suddenly I was directly faced with a choice that on the one hand would honor, and on the other betray, the commitment I had made to the Lord.

I stepped on the line. In fact, all but the back part of my heel was over the line. The truth is, the commitment I made, though in the moment I thought had not been fully broken, it wasn’t honored, so therefore it was broken.

Yet God in His merciful love did not allow me to keep going. He reminded me of the emptiness that path brings and showed me a beautiful picture of the joy to come if I stay true to His path and His will for my life.

Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. the one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction. The one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8

Today’s thought: God uses choices made in error to bring growth, but choices made in selfishness bring destruction.

Please follow and like us: