a great big mystery

I love the adventure to be found in not knowing what lies around the corner in our life’s journey with the Lord. The twists, the curves – the unexpected rest stops – the detours – the flat tires – the friendships – the sight seeing – the sweat – the heartache – the stretching – the breaking – the freedom – the new life – the goodbyes and hellos – the fellowship – the learning – the thinking – the breathing – the knowing – are all part of our dance with the King down the pathway He has fashioned especially for our lives.

It seems I am always asking the Lord, “God, what is your purpose in this? What is your purpose for me?” Each time, He patiently, lovingly responds, “Beloved, I know the plans I have for you” or “rest beloved”. Oftentimes the Word reminds me of His promises, “strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord” and “trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding” as well as “guard your heart beloved above all else for it determines the course of your life”. Over time have I come to notice that each time I question the Lord in this regard be it verbally, in my mind, in prayer, or in conversation with others – He always affirms what He is doing in my life at this very moment – for His very purposes, in some way.

Perhaps some would think this coincidence – I consider it divine and purposeful – but I was in the office after lunch today walking by my supervisor’s bulletin board for the umpteenth time this summer only this time I was fixated on two small cards attached to this board. I could not possibly begin to measure the number of times I have looked at this board and passed it by without a second thought, yet today something caught my attention as I began to read: WHERE GOD GUIDES HE PROVIDES. “No way,” I thought to myself. Then I read the Scripture reference attached to the rest of the card and my heart was moved, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…when you go through rivers of difficulty you will not be swept away…when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned up…For I am the Lord your God…you are precious in my sight…and I love you” (Isaiah 43:2-4)

Over the last week God has spoken this promise to my heart over and over and over again. He has been recalling the truth of this passage to my mind and heart from a season not too long ago at Bethany. A sense of His peace washed over me as my eyes danced to the font on the next card: Trust-in HIS timing, Rely-on HIS promises, Wait-for HIS answers, Believe-in HIS miracles, Rejoice-in HIS goodness, Relax-in HIS presence. Likewise this was attached to a verse from James 4:8, “Come near to God and He will come near to you”. (SIGH) Great is His faithfulness!

I was emotionally overcome as I read these truths, and am once again as I write them here. I think sometimes we get ahead of ourselves when it comes to waiting, resting, timing, believing, and even rejoicing. I know I do – I want everything I do in my life to honor God and His plans/purposes for my life – and I want sooooo much to just KNOW what He’s going to do next – sometimes I hinder myself from resting in the now – from just being in His presence and waiting for Him to say, “Okay Christy. It’s time to go. Let’s move out, alright. Come beloved, and I will show you what’s next”.

To be honest, sometimes when God says this to me in my life, He’s holding my hand and walking me graciously, patiently along this pathway of my life, and I want to run up ahead to see where we’re going. Sometimes He lets me too, perhaps for sheer fun and to remind me to wait for Him – it’s safest to walk this trail holding His hand. Usually in these moments I’m running forward and looking back so intently, my feet catch unexpected roots and my face kisses unexpected dirt before I can even think twice about slowing down.

This is important because if I wait on Him, and hold His hand for the journey, He is always faithful to guide me through those unexpected roots, and to lift me up and away from those moments of meeting the dirt face to face in my life. The thing is – I just have to wait, and it’s so stinkin’ hard sometimes! Oooh, but there is nothing quite as sweet as journeying with Him! Nothing is quite so adventurous – so free – so purposeful and fulfilling! In the future I will continue to try my best in waiting for Him – I will continue to saturate my heart with the promises and Truth of the Word so I will be reminded to wait for His hand to take me to the next stop on the trail – after all, “the joy is in the journey”.