Seeking clear paths and direction

Hey! We are one day away from Friday and more snow action planned for this day in the Midwest. Our forecasters have been uncharacteristically accurate this whole winter so we are planning to wear snow boots to journey north in a little while.

So a quick thought for today (and many thanks for those who shared the post yesterday and/or commented).

In my devotions this morning, the key verse was one we probably all know and love/hate depending on the season….

Trust in the Lord with all your heart with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

This was the translation used in the devotion I read and I like the simplicity of the working. I like that it is not just “He will direct your path”…but He will show you which path to take.

In the writing that accompanied this verse for my reading this morning, it pointed out that God knows not only the plan for my life but how my life interacts and connects with others.

Often in the course of a day, I continually ask God how I should order my task list. I move along as seems best, but I feel I need to check in periodically when I reach a stall point.

Many times, I decide to run an errand at a point in time when I had not planned to do so. Invariably, while I am out, I run into someone – my life path intersects with someone – who I would not have encountered if I had kept to my rigid original plan for the day.

It may be a clerk who unloads a story on me, or a friend I meet up with in the aisle or someone who used to be a friend and at least I can see them and smile and pray for them yet again.

These “divine opportunities” are orchestrated by God who knows the movements and motives of all of our hearts.

Do I do this every day?

No.

But I do it often enough that it makes me remember to attempt to do it most days.

It means having a general plan of what I think should make up the “work” of my daily activities, with a constant awareness that I am lifting that list and the hours I am given for today to live for the Kingdom of God.

A simple mindset of acknowledging that my “understanding” of what needs to be done today is limited to only what I can see in front of me. By “leaning” into God for what His plan for my day is and trusting He will gently or obviously interrupt that plan when necessary, is a daily discipline.

And disciplines are hard work, my friend.

So go gently about your day, realizing your plans may be just fine and work out the way you had plotted it all….or they may get completely scrambled…but trust in the Lord…with all your heart…do not lean on your need to understand. Invite Him into your to do list and He will show you your next steps.

Share and Save: