“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10, New King James Version).
One of the unpleasantries of summertime travel is the detours around road repairs. Oh, road repairs are necessary, but who has time to sit in long lines of slow traffic as we work our way around plastic cones and various pieces of construction equipment. Not me!
One summer my route to work was blocked for several weeks as the city replaced a deteriorating bridge. It wasn’t a large bridge and it wasn’t a major thoroughfare, but it was where I needed to travel every day. I could have allowed the detour to start my day with stress. Instead I decided to enjoy the view of the new route. I noticed the bright, blooming flowers surrounding some homes, watched the progress of a house being renovated, and observed the various styles of homes I passed. I turned an unpleasant detour into a pleasant morning routine.
Life sometimes takes detours as well. All will be going smoothly until we suddenly face a barricade across our path. We are forced to divert onto unfamiliar side streets. Our detour may be a serious illness, a job loss, family discord, or other life-disrupting event. It is difficult to see any good coming from the situation, and our stress levels rise. We do not enjoy this new route our life is taking.
We may struggle with the problems life brings and wonder what good can possibly come from them. Perhaps we have faced a situation for a long time and see no end in sight. But on the other side of the detour, we will be able to see God’s hand was sustaining us all the time. As you go through this detour around the “normal” of your life, realize that He is there with you the whole time, guiding your every move.
Prayer: Lord, sometimes life seems so difficult and I can’t see around all the detours and roadblocks along my way. It’s easy for me to feel lost and alone at such times. Thank You for the assurance that I’m really not alone. You are there protecting me and guiding me around each obstacle. You will bring me safely through.
Devotion by Mary Loudermilk
1 Comment
Thank you for this post! Very encouraging! Needed this today. When you think God isn’t there he really is and will bring you out in his timing!