"Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:26-27
Every morning this week, right when I woke up, I heard in my spirit, "get up and go for a walk." Because I have struggled with obedience in some areas, and because I desperately want to be obedient and mature in Christ, I have gotten out of bed, put on my shoes, and headed out the door.
On the first day, a cool, damp morning, I walked down my driveway and turned left. I had a quick thought about the path I would take through my large, 1970s-era neighborhood, and in my mind I saw a flash of the longest route I usually take. It takes about 20-25 minutes, and there are plenty of up- and downhill slopes.
As I walked and prayed, I came to the first place I could turn and I thought, "oh, maybe I should go this way instead..." Immediately, in my spirit I heard, "hold to the path." Still clinging to that sweet voice, I continued straight.
Then I got to another street where I could turn left and thought about going that way... and I heard, "hold to the path." And again, I continued straight.
Then the Lord began speaking into my spirit...
Stay on the road I have set out for you. Follow me obediently. Along the way, there will be hard uphill climbs when you have to press and push yourself to get to the top... and there will be times of refreshing in the downhill slopes... but do not stop, and do not change course...or you will tire out faster, become discouraged, and quit early....
As I kept walking, the Lord brought more things to mind that I needed to repent of and submit to Him, and I began to cry. Then He spoke to me again...
All along the way, if you hold to My path, there will be times of repentance designed to open your eyes to sin and free you from its grip. Hold tightly to Me, My child...
Finally, as I began closing in on my destination, feeling lighter than I had when I started, He spoke again...
Hold to the path that I set out for you. If you turn to the right or to the left and take a different course, you will miss divine appointments I have prepared for you... and you will not accomplish My purposes for your life...
A couple weeks ago I spoke at an outdoor event. It was my first time speaking in ages, and I was pretty nervous. I had prayed all week for the Lord to reveal His plan to me for that day, but I didn't receive it until 11pm the night before. The message came to me in three parts, and I wrote it out as best as I could.
The next afternoon, as I was preparing to speak, I couldn't make much sense of the first part of my message. I kept forgetting how it was supposed to go. But the second part of the message was clear and burning in my spirit to get out....
The next afternoon, as I was preparing to speak, I couldn't make much sense of the first part of my message. I kept forgetting how it was supposed to go. But the second part of the message was clear and burning in my spirit to get out....
I wasn't as sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as I should have been that day, and instead of scrapping the first part and moving on to the second like I now know I should have, I trudged through it. It made no sense, had no point, and was pretty much a disaster.
But when I got to the second part, everything became clear. It still wasn't as well put together as I would have liked, but I got out what the Lord had put on my heart...
The tragedy is that I ran out of time right after I ended that second part and I never got to the final part of my message... a salvation message about Jesus Christ.
As I was walking the road that first day, the Lord showed me that when I decide to change course and go my own way, I miss important parts of the journey. What would have happened if I had given the message the Lord wanted me to give? Would more people have come to Christ that day? If so, will those people have another chance, or was I their last appointment before eternity?
I am humbled by my prideful ways of thinking I know better than God. He knows the plans He has set out for me, and all the reasons behind what He asks me to do... with possible ripple effects reaching generations into the future....... I am unspeakably thankful for His grace and mercy, and how He has faithfully shown me the error of my ways. I pray He continues and allows me more opportunities to learn and grow... and that I am humble enough to see them when they come...
The tragedy is that I ran out of time right after I ended that second part and I never got to the final part of my message... a salvation message about Jesus Christ.
As I was walking the road that first day, the Lord showed me that when I decide to change course and go my own way, I miss important parts of the journey. What would have happened if I had given the message the Lord wanted me to give? Would more people have come to Christ that day? If so, will those people have another chance, or was I their last appointment before eternity?
I am humbled by my prideful ways of thinking I know better than God. He knows the plans He has set out for me, and all the reasons behind what He asks me to do... with possible ripple effects reaching generations into the future....... I am unspeakably thankful for His grace and mercy, and how He has faithfully shown me the error of my ways. I pray He continues and allows me more opportunities to learn and grow... and that I am humble enough to see them when they come...
"Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."
Proverbs 4:26-27
Proverbs 4:26-27
