Let God Point the Way
Mercy me, friend, come on up on this ol’ front porch and sit for a lil’ ol’ spell. Well, I declare, you look like someone who’s been wrestlin’ with decisions the way an ol’ rooster wrestles with its reflection in a tin bucket. Land sakes, it’s such a pleasure to have you stoppin’ by. If this ol’ porch could talk, it’d tell you it’s seen more confused folks than an ol’ raccoon that wandered into a henhouse. So, settle in because we’re about to walk through a story that’ll make more sense than a fresh jar of pickles on a hot day.
Now, before we go any further, let me introduce you to a Scottish woman, so you’re not left wonderin’ who in the world this person might be. Picture a spry lil’ ol’ lady with a basket full of thread and trinkets, trompin’ across the countryside like a determined lil’ ol’ woodpecker that plum refuses to give up on peckin’ the wrong tree. Whenever she came to a fork in the road, she’d toss a stick in the air to “let it decide” which way she should be goin’. But here’s the real kicker. When that stick pointed toward the roughest road, she’d toss it again. And again. And again. She wasn’t seekin’ direction. She was actually seekin’ permission to take the easy way. Friend, she was throwin’ that stick the way a stubborn ol’ goat kicks at a fence it don’t want to jump through.
And that there’s where Proverbs 3:5 slips in like a wise ol’ owl perched on the rafters, sayin’, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” That verse fits this story like overalls fit a farmhand. We say we want God’s will, but we keep tossin’ our own sticks around until life points toward the path we already wanted to be goin’ in the first place. We pray until the answer sounds real comfortable for us. We seek counsel until somebody finally agrees with us. We want God’s will to bend like a willow tree, but His will stands firm like an ol’ oak tree that’s seen a hundred years of fierce storms.
Proverbs 19:21 reminds us, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” And Psalm 25:9 says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.” That verse reminds me of a wise ol’ turtle that plum knows exactly which pond leads to safety. God sees farther than we ever could. He knows the rough road, the muddy patches, the briars, and the blessin’s waiting on the other side.
Lord, help me stop forcing Your will to match mine. Teach me to trust Your direction even when the road looks mighty hard. Give me courage to follow You and peace to rest in Your guidance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Well, friend, as you find the best path leadin’ you right back into your day, you’ve gotta be ensurin’ that your choices will be clearer than a creek after a good rain. You’ve gotta be makin’ sure that your trust in God keeps right on growin’ steadier than a cow that knows exactly where the barn is. You’ve gotta set your heart to be restin’ easier than an ol’ beaver that finally finished its dam. And you’ve gotta be walkin’ forward trustin’ and knowin’ that the Lord is guidin’ your every step. Now, go on out there, friend, and let Him be takin’ the lead.
With joy,
Gwen
