paths

i remember as a child going on vacation with my parents and brother. for some reason i was content just sitting there looking out the window, but occasionally i would see something out in front of us a few miles away (usually a rather large bridge that i thought would be some emotional experience to be on top of it) and get really excited. i would look at the road we were on and try to figure out whether or not it would lead us to this wonderful place ahead. my excitement would build and build, but then . . . we would turn and go in a different direction than i wanted to go.

i think we, as christians, get that way about life. the path we are on is long and ever-changing one, and many of us, while on our paths, see something ahead of us and our eyes widen and our spirits lift. we begin to tell others of the future that is rushing towards us (maybe a new job, a job, or what you believe to be gods purpose for you is). we push harder and harder towards a future that we our sure god has in store for us, only to be devastated when the path takes a sharp turn in another direction.

at times like those we like we have missed out, like we did something to cause us to miss gods call for out life, like it was our one shot and we missed it because the path took an unexpected turn. but do we ever stop to think that maybe god puts things in our sights to keep us moving down the path he has laid out for us and trust that he will bring us to our ultimate purpose in life, whether it be what we thought it was or not? the problem with us is that we are arrogant enough to think we can fully understand what god wants to do with us.

this is what i am learning . . .

i am learning that i'm not sure what i'm "supposed" to with my life, but i'm going to keep running toward what god has put in front of me until that changes (and then i run towards what he puts in front of me next).

i am learning that life is a journey, and, when our path takes a sharp turn, it's not the end of it but the beginning of a beautiful new chapter.

you see, our paths are not always straight or easy. sometimes they're uphill and downhill, rocky and dangerous, mucky and mirey, but, regardless of its difficulty . . .

the path you are on will alway take you where you are supposed to go . . .