Recently I had to find a new route to take on a bike ride due to some emergency road work being done in my community. The temporary detour forced me in a new direction, but I had a challenging and delightful ride on a good day.
Afterward, while I was relaxing, I began thinking about the new year and my hopes and the possibilities that come with a new season. This month the Southeast has been hit with unusual cold and snow which have limited my ability to bike as much as I normally do. I knew our God was slowing me down and pointing me in another direction.
Last year I made the difficult decision to walk away from fake friends, unhealthy relationships, and stressful situations. Not because we disagreed politically, but because we were on different spiritual paths.
It’s not the first time I have walked away from people who choose to follow their hearts and earthly desires. After my accident, our amazing God put me on a different path than my college friends. Even though we have different spiritual perspectives, we still are friends and keep in touch across the country.
But our lifestyles are just as different today as they were almost 30 years ago. I learned early on after my accident sometimes it is better to walk away and follow God and what He is doing, instead of begging Him to do things your way. God will take us down different paths in life than we expect or prefer or even be afraid of (Isaiah 55:8-9.)
Not only did I choose to walk away from unhealthy relationships last year, I decided to pursue a new path in my writing vocation God’s way. It isn’t an easy one, but it is the one I feel more passionate about and called to.
My disability limits a lot of my abilities and enhances other abilities I took for granted or abandoned years ago. I am a firm believer that God creates each of us for a specific purpose and with specific skill sets and personalities to accomplish His will, not ours and certainly not childish dreams (Proverbs 16:4, Ephesians 2:10.) That is why I don’t believe in chasing relationships or the desires of my heart, neither can save me.
Despite what many Christians believe, God will test us and allow hardships to get us out of our comfort zone and on the right path He has for us (Deuteronomy 5:33, Psalm 23:1-6, Proverbs 3:6, Jeremiah 6:16.) Trust me God did it to me.
Paths aren’t fully understood or talked about much these days, because modern times use visuals like roads and highways. However, these are man-made and straight for convenience.
Paths are a lot different, they are rarely straight because they are natural courses through the landscape and they aren’t easily traversed and have rugged obstacles. The Hebrew word for straight in the Old Testament Yashar is also interpreted as right or perfect. So a path may be difficult and curvy, but yet be the perfect path God has for us to get us where He wants us.
just because something is easy or makes you happy doesn’t mean it is God’s will, stop believing the lies of Satan. Our Jewish forefathers understood that paths aren’t just physical, but also a spiritual metaphor for life (Job 23:11, Psalm 1:1-6, Proverbs 14:12; 22:6.) The Old Testament tells us about the paths and ways of God because they aren’t like the ways of this world or our wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9-10, Mark 7:13-14.)
Our sinful nature is a path to destruction (Proverbs 14:12.) God’s way leads us to life and God Himself (Psalm 119:105, John 14:6.) We each must choose for ourselves which path we will follow, God’s or our sinful heart. The Bible talks about the way of man and the way of the Lord.
Listening to our flesh is the easy path, it TAKES discipline and God’s Spirit to lead us down the hard path of obedience (Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Psalm 32:8, Proverbs 12:1, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 12:6.)
Before God calls each of us back to Himself, we are on this natural, old path and walking in darkness, if left to ourselves death is our future (Matthew 7:13-14.) We all need God to open our eyes and put us on a new path in life (2 Kings 6:17, Psalm 119:18, Luke 24:31, Ephesians 1:18.)
Jesus taught His followers that they couldn’t follow Him unless they deny themselves and what they want daily (Matthew 16:24.) Jesus knew that we had to leave our old ways behind if we really want to follow Him on a new path in life, God doesn’t require a little dose of obedience, He deserves it all.
When we follow Jesus, He sets us apart from the world charts a new path for us to follow, and helps us stay alive. The Apostle Paul talked about putting on the new man and letting go of the old (Romans 6:6, Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:9-10.)
Despite what many false teachers in the church today believe, we don’t get to come to Jesus and still walk in the old ways or follow our hearts and selfish dreams (Romans 12:2, Galatians 2:20.) Your words mean nothing without life change (James 2:14-26.).
The new life we have in Christ is a new path for each of us to walk (John 3:3-36.) As we grow spiritually, we will see the foolishness of taking the old paths we used to walk. Jesus taught His followers about taking the narrow gate to Heaven (Matthew 7:13-14.)
Satan often tempts us to take the broad road and return to our old ways, but it is foolish to look back or return to our old ways (Proverbs 26:11, 1 Peter 2:22.) Why would a Christian long for the old life once they’ve tasted the goodness of God?
As I enter the latter half of my life I won’t look back for lost friendships or relationships, I am hopeful about the new opportunities and relationships God has for me on this new path.
