(original message sent via email 10/23/23)
Recently I was reflecting on when Kate and I were headed to spend the day together in Boston this summer. I have been there 1,000 times over the past 6 years because that is where my doctors are. Yet in all the times I traveled to Boston, I took the same route and was never once detoured…until this ride with Kate. We were traveling the Mass Pike and the GPS told us take an exit. I was confused because this had never happened. I took the exit but was getting a little unsettled because this was out of the ordinary. Kate could see I was unnerved by this detour and said, “This just means God has another route for us today, Mom.” I initially wanted to react and say something but instead I sat with the wisdom she shared with me.
God has allowed me to go on detours before in life, and I trusted Him then. Why would I not trust Him with this detour off the highway?
Psalm 25:4-5 Says, “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
This verse is a reminder that God has a path for me, and you, in life. The wisest choice is to do our best to align with His paths for us, rather than determining paths for ourselves.
Admittedly, this practice isn’t just a switch that flicked inside of me, or you. And that day with Kate, even after I heard what she said, rather than resting and trusting God, I double checked our destination to be sure we had the address in the GPS correctly. After that, I prayed through the unsettled feelings I had, asking God to guide me, as this Psalm reminds me to do. I realized that worrying and gripping to the usual way wasn’t going to benefit me, or my time with Kate. So I chose to let go of the normal route, trusted God - and the GPS. Kate and I ended up driving through beautiful towns we had never seen before and ones we would have never seen if we were on our normal route on the highway. After a following this new path, we arrived at our destination on time.
I share this with you today in case your days, or paths, ever get detoured like mine do. I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
When we get detoured in life, may we notice our natural reaction - which for me usually doesn’t include God and instead a lot of emotions. Then, let’s choose to invite God into the detour with us, as Kate reminded me to do on that drive to Boston. May we remember that detours may not be convenient but they are opportunities for us to rely more on God, and less on ourselves. As we move into this week, let’s pray for God's guidance to help us follow His paths for us, rather than our own.
To help you remember this week's message, click HERE for a FREE printable of this week's verse, and listen to this week's Live from the Inside Out™ podcast HERE.
I pray you have a blessed week, friend!
With love and hope,
Shawn