Skip to main content

“Even when there is a tempting shortcut, there is never a substitute for the long way around.”

A thought by Christine Caine from her book, Unexpected: Leave Fear Behind, Move Forward in Faith, Embrace the Adventure (p. 176). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Oh, the temptations that are out there.  But oh, the success that is out there.

Christine says, “God uses the desert roads of our lives to protect us and to prepare us. Sometimes our long road takes the form of anonymity, obscurity, long hours, or uncomfortable conditions. It’s that place where we think, Whatever God had for me, I’ve missed it. Or, I feel parched and empty and far from God. Or, I’ve blown it and now God has no use for me. Or, I thought God gave me a dream and a promise, but maybe I got it all wrong. Long roads are also where the waiting can wear us down and dim our hopes. We wait years and pray fervently . . . for the salvation of a loved one, healing in our marriage, a breakthrough in our struggles, an open door to our dreams—all to no avail. On the long road, sometimes all we can think is, God, have you forgotten me?” 

She later says, “If you have a dream, then chances are you’re on a long road. Which means sooner or later, the enemy will mess with you and tempt you to take a shortcut. In those times, you simply must trust that God is protecting you and preparing you because he is always for you—never against you. (Isaiah 49:16) And he’s not only for you, he’s gone on before you. How do I know?  Read this charge that Moses leveled against the Israelites: ‘In spite of this, you did not trust in the LORD your God, who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.’ Deuteronomy 1:32–33, emphasis added”

“God is always out ahead of his people. The problem, with the Israelites and with us, is a lack of trust. Don’t repeat the Israelites’ mistake. Trust that God is always way ahead of you, protecting you from something you can’t see or aren’t yet prepared to handle: 

 • A destructive relationship 
• A toxic work environment 
• A ruinous business partnership 
• A tragedy of epic proportions 
• A big responsibility”

 She then says, “In every area of my life, the long way around with Jesus as my GPS has always proven better than any shortcut I could have taken without Jesus. I can’t tell you how many times Nick’s shortcut doubled the distance and the time of our trip. That’s not what God wants for our life journeys. Jesus is our tried-and-true GPS, and we don’t want to tune him out to gamble on a shortcut.”

Will you follow God’s prodding, his timing and trust him?  Will you?

Yes, yes!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives.”

A thought by Jon Tyson from his book, The Burden Is Light: Liberating Your Life from the Tyranny of Performance and Success (p. 118). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But is that all that is important? Jon says, “We want to realize an immediate return from whatever we invest in. I am prone to this way of thinking in so many areas of my life. ‘I paid a lot for that meal, yet the portions were not that big.’ ‘I invested two hours in that movie, and it was just okay.’   ‘I went to church, but the sermon wasn’t that profound.’ We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives. But beauty doesn’t fit within that framework. When Mary anointed Jesus with oil, there was an immediate outcry against her extravagant generosity. ‘It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ (Mark 14:5) One gospel depicts the disciples crying, ‘Why this waste?...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book,   Winning the War on Worry    (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: 'I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body mor...
Post a Comment
Read more

“Hurry and love are incompatible.”

A thought by John Mark Comer from his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (p. 23). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Wow, pretty strong thought isn’t it? John says, “All my worst moments as a father, a husband, and a pastor, even as a human being, are when I’m in a hurry—late for an appointment, behind on my unrealistic to-do list, trying to cram too much into my day. I ooze anger, tension, a critical nagging—the antitheses of love. If you don’t believe me, next time you’re trying to get your type B wife and three young, easily distracted children out of the house and you’re running late (a subject on which I have a wealth of experience), just pay attention to how you relate to them. Does it look and feel like love? Or is it far more in the vein of agitation, anger, a biting comment, a rough glare? Hurry and love are oil and water: they simply do not mix.” He goes on, “Hence, in the apostle P...
Post a Comment
Read more