Sunday, September 26, 2010

A Chosen Path











Do you ever wonder which path God is going to lead you down next in life? This is something that I think about often, as thus far He has taken me on a pretty wild ride. Never in a million years did I think that I would be a married mother of three and a therapeutic foster parent to over 35 teenagers at the ripe old age of 28. Okay, that's not all true. I prayed with all of my heart that I would be married young with a house full of babies to raise and love, but the teenager part? Sometimes I wonder. How the heck did I get here? Why me? What makes Him think I am cut out for this? Particularly on the rough days. But then God gently reminds me that it is by His grace that I am here. His leading. His plans for my life, which far surpass anything that I could have ever dreamed up on my own. It is easier to see the big picture when looking backwards. Now that I am here, it can be pretty cool to look back at how I got here. But the getting here was tough. I won't lie. And sometimes it's still tough.

There are days when I question His chosen path for my life. Days when it seems like I am only traveling through dense forests, and there is not enough sunlight shining down on my path. Days when I long to raise my family in our own home, keeping our own schedules instead of planning our weekends around everyone elses, creating our own memories and traditions, and just being together any which way we want at any time we choose. Days when everyone elses paths look a whole lot better than mine. I dream of the easy life of our simple family of five, fully knowing that even if we were not on this path or in this work that life would not be "easy". These are just the lies that Satan tries to get me to believe. If we were in any other place in life he would just use something else to distract me. To try to get me to leave this chosen path. To draw me to his path. Because his path looks all glittery and sparkly. It promises that life will be full of roses and rainbows, without any of that nonsense of thorns or rain. It says, choose this path where I will qive you the quick fix! The easy way out! And sadly, I have seen many people fall for his lies. They leave God's path for something that looks better, or easier, and while things might be good for awhile, in the end they get burned.

Because really, there is only one Path. And that is God's path. The path He carefully selects for each of us, crafting it with His plans for our life in mind. And then He gently sets it before us. The trick is that it is our choice whether we will follow His path or not. God doesn't promise us that it will be easy. In fact, He promises that it will not. But he also promises that He will not leave us or forsake us, as we travel this path that He has laid out for us. And in the end, the reward will be great. Far greater than even roses or rainbows.

So I remind myself of this when the going gets tough. I remind myself that to serve others I am actually serving God. When I am tired of tantrums and back talk? I remind myself that I throw tantrums and give back talk to God All. The. Time. And He forgives me. When I get anxiety over filth being brought into my home by dirty people who have not been cared for? When I want to run for the hills or lock all of my doors and windows to keep the dirty parts of life out? I remind myself that if it wasn't for my Savior that I would be dirty too. And on the days where I can't seem to find anything good at all? I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, praying, and trusting that soon there will come a bend in the path and then He will lead me in a new direction. Yes, it's been a wild ride. And I know there will be rough traveling days ahead. But I am determined to stay on this path. Trusting Him with one day at a time.

A Challenge for This Week: Ask God to show you this week what path He would have your life to be on for this season. Are you on it? If not, how will you get there to better align your plans for your life with His will for your life? What lie is Satan using to try and distract you to lead you away from God's chosen path? I am praying these thoughts for myself this week!

P.S. That picture up there? Yeah, I live there. It's okay to be jealous :). Maybe my path is not so bad afterall!

No comments: