Summary: <br> When you imagine the life God created you for, and the journey to living that life, what do you see? If it’s a journey to travel, what does that journey look like?<br> We often assume the “right path” in life will look like a highway through the flatlands of the midwest. God will go before us, he will remove any obstacles, and he will make it crystal clear we’re on the right road because there will be signs. Yes, signs from the Almighty reading like road signs on the highway that say “you’re doing good Sarah”, “this is the right way Kim”, “keep cruising along Angela.” So we think when we get on this right path, life will clearly be easier, we’ll set the cruise, speed along and arrive safely at our destination which God has planned for us.<br> And we assume if we’re not speeding along, if we’re not seeing the signs, if we’re not finding a big broad highway through the flatlands for easy traveling, clearly we’re not on the right path.<br> Crap. I seem to be on some backroad through ghettos most of the time. I keep finding obstacles in my path and delays along the way. Does this mean I haven’t found what God has planned for me? Does this mean you haven’t found what God has for you?<br> Do struggles and delays, hardships and obstacles represent the WRONG path for your life? Or do they represent the REAL life, not the Hollywood version, for a follower of Christ?<br> Is there a single story in the Bible of a godly person who seemed to be traveling easy? Is there even one example of a person fulfilling their purpose while everything worked perfectly for them? I can’t think of a single one. Not one.<br> You know why? BECAUSE THAT’S NOT HOW GOD WORKS. God works in messes. God works in hardship. God works in deadends. God works in highway closings and backroad detours.<br> Just because this isn’t easy, doesn’t mean this isn’t right. Just because you’ve had to fight and struggle your way to keep this together, doesn’t mean it’s meant to fall apart. Maybe it means it’s worth fighting for. Maybe it means this is exactly where you’re supposed to be because this is where God is working.<br> You’re looking for the signs to get you to the highway for easier traveling, and God says “honey, I never made you for the highway. I made you for roads that go right through these mountains. Roads that cross these rivers. Roads that twist and turn. That’s what you’re made for. Yes, it’s the harder way of travel, but I’ve equipped you for it. We’re taking the scenic route and travel won’t be fast, but I’m going to show you so much along the way.”<br> That’s what God is saying today. Yes, today as you would rather just have a straight shot to joy. Today as you would rather have a clear answer and know the goodness he has planned for you, so you could speed on through this part to get to the happier part.<br> And here on this rocky path you find yourself on, where travel is slow and you can’t see what’s around the bend, there are signs. Not the signs you imagined that would tell you exactly where you are and where you’re going. Not signs that tell you with certainty you get to exit in 5 more miles. If not a single person in scripture had those kind of signs, my guess is we won’t either.<br> But isn’t it funny how we assumed the right path in life where we’re finally going in the direction we need to go, would somehow be more certain than it is. We assumed signs would be everywhere and traveling would be easier.<br> The signs we see say one thing “the best is yet to come.”<br> We haven’t arrived yet my sisters. We must keep going. There is so much more ahead, joy awaits, but the journey continues.
