Skip to main content

A Continuation of Thoughts

As I finished writing the post yesterday and let it sit all night long, it felt unfinished. There was more that didn't fit into that particular writing.

There are two other ways in which Proverbs 3:6 is encouraging to me (at the moment, anyway). His straight, not mine runs in so many more directions than just the one I shared yesterday, directions I don't know or understand.

I have a dear friend who I don't get to see that often. When we talk and she asks what my plans are, I usually end up telling her I have no idea! I can't see what's ahead, and I don't know what God wants me to do. She usually says to me that I just need to love God and then do what I want. Because if I'm loving God, then He's going to work it all out. She uses the analogy of a cruise ship. There are a lot of things one can do on board -- swimming, sleeping, eating, playing, etc. But no matter which activity you're engaged in, the ship is still heading in the same direction. Am I loving God? Am I trying to follow Him? Then pick something that's in front of you and trust Him to work it out.

Proverbs 3:6 seems to hold that same idea. If I acknowledge God and know Him in everything and in every way, the result is that He uses everything to work together. Sometimes there is choice, and if I'm giving it all to God, then the decisions I make are being orchestrated by Him and woven together into a path that is straight. God takes the choices I make in faith and trust and turns them into a straight path.

Secondly, and in the same vein as above, is this: I'm only human. So let's say I do mess up (which I will). There are two opportunities in front of me, and I'm just not sure which one I should do. I've prayed about it, but I still just don't know, so I just pick one. What if I picked the wrong one? God wanted me to do the first and I chose the second. But I was trying to follow Him, I was trying to go where He was leading. I acknowledged Him and sought Him, but I went a way that makes the path crooked. Then He makes the path straight. He takes that choice, that choice I was so unsure of, and puts His straight path together. He works it out. I was trusting Him, yet still went to the side of the path. And still, He makes the way straight.


Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. 
Proverbs 3:5-6

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

His Straight, Not Mine

Whenever I have a huge decision to make, I stress. My default mode is "what if I'm wrong??" This has been true for the last 10+ years of my life. College, mission trips during college, where to teach after college, quitting teaching, moving to Baltimore, leaving Baltimore, beginning seminary. All decisions fraught with questions, doubts, fears. And I'm there again. Graduated from seminary, looking for the next step. Wondering. Doubting. Questioning. Hoping. Dreaming. Fearing.  Every big decision is the same. You'd think I'd have learned by now just to decide or jump or trust or whatever. But no. The reason for this struggle is that I so badly long to do what I am meant to do. I long to follow God where He is leading, to fulfill the purpose He has planned for me from the beginning. But I'm only human. And so how on earth do I know what God has planned for me? And how on earth can I possibly do that without screwing it up completely?  I look at vers...

34.

One of the things I love most about my birthday is that it falls so close to the beginning of the year. A new calendar year and new life year start together.  I also love that I share a birthday with Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.  You know, the important things.  I've thought a lot about this year and what it would be like. Not because I've now officially hit my mid-30's (oh my goodness, really??) but what will 2019 and 34 hold? The last two years have been the hardest I've faced. Everything felt like it was breaking to pieces, and I was never fast enough to gather them all up before they landed, or good enough to keep everything together. These pieces were significant chunks of my identity. Things (and people!) I had placed a lot of value in, that I thought defined me, were gone. Slowly, suddenly, systematically, chaotically. It felt very much like I was being stripped away, and that there wasn't much else there.  At the same time, the world also se...

movies

i love movies. could watch them all the time. as i've had some more time on my hands lately, i've seen a lot of movies on random channels that have made me say, "i love this movie! why don't i own it??" so here's a list of movies i feel like i should own, or want to own when they come out. *the man in the iron mask *10 things i hate about you *penelope *catch me if you can *sweet home alabama *phantom of the opera *the count of monte cristo *despicable me *how to train your dragon *streetcar named desire *gone with the wind *pride and prejudice (the really long, bbc one -- not the kiera knightley one) *the pirates movies *the bourne movies *grease just to name a few :)