I pray you’ll join us and learn new and exciting things too from His Word.
This Week We're Looking at Path
Many of us are ingrained from a young age that we need to know exactly what we want out of life. From middle school, I was going on college tours. I wanted to be a nurse and it was immediately accepted because that was a good thing that was going to make me “successful.”
By the time I was 16, I was in a career tech school pursuing a medical career. What nobody knew was that God had the man I was going to marry sitting two seats ahead of me in one of those classrooms. My medical career path took a detour about a year and a half after we got married when seven crying pounds of love was plopped on my chest. My life changed in an instant when everything I wanted was suddenly in my arms and life wasn’t just about us anymore.
The path we end up taking in life is a funny thing because we begin it thinking we know where we are going; when in reality, God is the only One who knows. Proverbs talks about the path we take:
“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9
We are free to make plans for a certain way to walk through life, and even try to pursue them—but God is the One whose plan we follow when we make pursuing a relationship with Him our daily goal.
We never know what’s coming. I read in a book called The Noticer that we are always either coming out of a crisis, in the midst of a crisis, or headed for a crisis. It’s unnerving to think we don’t know what’s coming until we grab hold of the truth and comfort in the promise that we know the One who does.
Psalm 16:11 says this, “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”
The good news is we don’t have to have it all figured out when we abide in the shadow of the Almighty. He is our Rock, our fortress and our safe place when everything around us is crashing down.
When Jesus is our daily number one priority, He has promised to be with us in times of trouble, which unfortunately is going to happen as long as we live on Earth. The Bible doesn’t say we’ll never encounter trouble. It says, “Many are the affiliations of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all." Psalm 34:19
We’re going to have rocky patches in this life—but our sweet Jesus gives us a promise of security found in Him through the hard times.
I love the reminder from Psalms: "Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:101
There is so much comfort in knowing that we don’t have to have it all figured out because He is the resurrection and the life. When we are unsure, all we have to do is rest in Him and let Him fight for us. All we have to do is be still (Exodus 14:14). His Word gives us grace, comfort, peace, rest, and promises of what is to come.
Psalm 23:1-3 gives us these beautiful promises:
My sweet friend, if you’re struggling today, hear me when I say this:
Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that His plans for us are good, to give us a future and a hope. Fix your eyes on Jesus today because He is the only thing that matters. He is all that will last far beyond when your circumstances are a thing of the past. It won’t be this way forever.
Give Jesus the reins today, and rest in the promise of rest.
Let Him lead you, renew your strength, and light your path. He has good things for you! Your life is just beginning.
Hannah is a Midwestern wife and mama of three. She has a passion for encouraging women to weave together personal growth with faith in God and live up to their full potential through His grace.
In her free time, Hannah likes painting, writing, baking, cooking, crafting, yoga, and date night with her sweet husband. She's a lover of things that feed the soul like music, sunshine, flowers, dark chocolate, coffee, travelling, laughing, adventures. She like to try new things, make memories, and spreading kindness!
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What does Path mean to you?
18 Comments
11/24/2020 09:13:11 am
The first thought that comes to mind about path os Psalm 16:11, which you quoted. I've leaned heavily on Proverbs 16:9, too, when we've had to make decisions about our next steps.
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11/25/2020 07:55:56 am
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9 <— That's so true, Barbara. We all had our little plans for 2020, but last Spring the Lord established our steps differently than any of us could have imagined. I hope we can all look back and see His goodness. I know I can!
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11/24/2020 09:42:47 am
I appreciate your encouraging words, Hannah. I read The Noticer too but had forgotten that line. I sketch out my little path daily in a form of a schedule, but rarely is it the exact path that God ends up taking me down. ha. Thankfully his ways are better than my own.
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11/25/2020 07:59:39 am
I am so thankful, Lisa, that I am not the one in control of my "path." He has laid it out perfectly, establishing every turn and every bump in the road. There is good in all of it. Even though some of those roads I would have never chose to walk, I never walked alone!
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11/24/2020 11:05:34 am
I love Psalm 16.11. When we find joy in His presense and know that He is guiding our paths, it makes the twists and turns of life so much easier. Thanks for these thoughts. I think we all need to remember them as life has looked vastly different in the last year or so for all of us.
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11/25/2020 08:04:43 am
"You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11
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11/24/2020 11:46:55 am
We plan our paths straight, but often they wind and detour and turn out much different than we planned. So glad God knows where we are heading.
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11/25/2020 08:07:38 am
Much of the time, Theresa, I have found the widing and the detours to be the most rewarding parts. Places I would have never gone, He goes before and prepares the way. He knows my going and coming, what is good for me, and what will bring glory to His name.
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11/24/2020 12:57:55 pm
The concept that we are either coming or going out of a crises is an interesting one. I am learning that my "path" is more abut the journey God is taking me on than the direction I intend to go. I think I am often in more of a rush to get to MY destination then God is to get me there.
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11/25/2020 08:14:52 am
I had heard that quote before, Jed. In a way it frightens me that when the waters are calm, I must be headed into an unknown, unforeseen crisis. Somewhat like we all were in the Spring of 2020. But I remind myself that I know Who is in control. I love this —> " I think I am often in more of a rush to get to MY destination then God is to get me there." I feel the same,
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11/24/2020 07:18:32 pm
I am thankful for a wise heavenly Father who knows that the straight and easy path I desire is not what will best feed my soul!
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11/25/2020 08:16:15 am
I love that, Michele!!! —> "I am thankful for a wise heavenly Father who knows that the straight and easy path I desire is not what will best feed my soul!" Something else to be thankful for today. Thank you for this reminder!
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11/25/2020 11:14:28 am
Resting in Him is something I've been learning a lot about lately!
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11/25/2020 12:32:12 pm
When I saw today's topic my heart sunk. Because I have a dear one who has jumped off of God's plan for his life. But this gave me hope. He belongs to God, so our Father isn't finished with him.
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11/25/2020 09:09:06 pm
I am right there in that boat with you, Lauren! This post is loaded with hope for us, and for them. They belong to God. PRAY! He isn't done with them! :)
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1/26/2021 02:36:49 pm
Patsy, thank you, again, for publishing my words and inviting me to participate in this beautiful series! It's been such a blessing to my heart that my words have encouraged others. May God use this series mightily for His Kingdom!! ❤️
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1/27/2021 06:26:06 am
Hannah, I am so glad you joined us on the challenge! It is such a blessing and encouragement to my heart to read from all the different writers and see their writing style. And each one leads us right back to Scripture. That is the best part and so exciting! :)
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