“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
Psalms 32:8 NLT
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
Psalm 32:8 NIV
Sometimes we want to experience what life could be like outside of the path that God has set for us. We wonder what we could be missing out on if we stay on His path.
Security?
Financial gain?
Excitement?
Happiness?
Fun?
Popularity?
But God says that He will guide us along “the BEST pathway for your life.” The best! God doesn’t want us to live miserable lives. It’s easy to get sidetracked and pulled away from the path we set out on, by the temptations of having more. More fun. More happiness. More of what everyone else has. But the important question is: what could we be losing if we choose another path?
Sometimes we get scared and and we want to protect ourselves, so we choose a route that looks safer. We let our fear lead us down a different path instead of having faith that God is watching over us like He says He will. Staying on His path is declaring that my God is stronger than my fears!
Sometimes we think we know what’s best and we choose to rely on our own efforts instead of relying on God. We let our pride lead us down a different path. It’s okay to put in extra hours to save up and buy a new car or to have a strong work ethic and work towards that promotion that you’ve been wanting. But we have to humble ourselves and admit that God’s path is always the best path and our strength comes from him.
Sometimes we want to find a shortcut and we think we can find a quicker or easier way than what God has planned for us. If we take an alternate route to avoid one obstacle, we are bound to come across others eventually. No matter how many times we branch off of His path, we are not getting any closer to a life free of all obstacles or worry. We are only taking ourselves farther away from everything he intends for us to gain in His timing.
Sometimes we just want to be alone, away from people who hurt us, so we turn down a path of isolation, thinking that if we don’t let anyone close to us, then no one can hurt us. But God doesn’t want us to live our lives alone. He made us to love. If we close ourselves off from being hurt, we close ourselves off from being loved. When we choose to isolate ourselves and push others away, we are only thinking of ourselves. Our hurt. Our pain. Our sadness. Our frustration. We are holding onto the past, when God wants us to let it go and be made new. He wants our hearts to be open and loving. In fact, he COMMANDS it. And if we truly want to serve God, we come to realize that we do so by serving others.
Sometimes we want a change in our life. We want to do something adventurous and different, so we choose a dark and scary path. We follow others who seem to have a much more interesting life than anything we have experienced, thinking that we know where to draw the line. We tell ourselves that it’s okay – we won’t stray TOO far from His path. But one small decision at a time, we find ourselves farther and farther away. It is perfectly fine to assess our lives and see what we can improve. But it is important to seek these new exciting hobbies and friendships on His terms! Find a group of people who will walk His path WITH you – not lead you away! Allowing Him to guide you will lead you to new happiness, new excitement, and new LIFE that you never imagined was possible when all you could see was the thrill of earthly treasures.
There are so many paths available for us to take, but the danger is the same for all of them. If we step off the path He has set, we could lose ourselves. Those paths can lead to pain, shame, and a world of darkness and loneliness. We can hurt the people who care about us and who want to see us succeed when we walk away from His guidance.
Dear Lord, Thank you for watching over me and leading me along the best pathway for my life. Please help me to stay on this path and not be distracted. Open my eyes so that I may see your path before me and follow where you lead, no matter what decisions I face. Amen
I Once Was Lost 