Proverbs 14:12, 16:25(NLT) says, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” The path that seems right is the one most people will take, and it is the one that most people are on today. It’s a comfortable path, one that our fore-parents and parents may have been on, and we think because it seemed good for them, it is good for us as well. Whole generations lay claim to traditions and customs this way. It caused the Israelites to wander around in circles in the wilderness and never lay claim to the promise God gave them. As believers we must understand that God’s character and nature never changes, but He has never been a stagnant God. He’s on the move, and the question that is before every one of us is whether we really want what He has for us. If we do, we might have to buckle up tight and get ready to change lanes, because the path we’re on won’t get us to the place the Father has destined us to be.
The path seems right. It looks, feels, and smells like what we’re used to. For many of us, it would never occur to our thinking that we’re heading in the wrong direction, but the truth is that some of us are. We are either not hearing or heeding the revelation of the truth that would set our feet on higher ground. The question we must ask now is exactly what happens to us when we don’t hear or heed? What are the consequences? One of them is frustration. The feeling of frustration is defined as one of being upset, especially because of an inability to change or achieve something. This is where many of us are emotionally. We feel as though God isn’t hearing our prayers, and we’ve waited too long for the thing we’ve prayed to receive.
God doesn’t hold our blessings hostage. Psalm 84:11(NLT) tells us, “For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.” He would never withhold His goodness from us, because He loves us too much. He gave us this wonderful planet to inhabit as proof of His love. Genesis 2:2 tells us that when God finished His work of creation, that was it! It was a done deal. On the sixth day He looked at what He had accomplished, and on the seventh day He rested, because everything He set out to do was complete, and He saw that it was exceedingly good.
All the laws that govern the universe were in place long before we were created, because John 1:1 tells us that in the beginning the Word already existed. Jesus Christ is the living Word of God. Colossians 1:17(NLT) says, “He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.” The Word holds everything together. It keeps God’s creation progressing forward according to His divine love and purpose. God has elevated His Word above His name. Therefore, you and I must know that He will never violate His Word. He is a Just God, a Righteous Judge, and He cannot reward disobedience.
Heavenly Father created the universe in such a way that we are rewarded based on our alignment with His Will. This brings our purpose front and center, because the further we venture away from fulfilling our purpose, the further we travel away from things like fulfillment, joy, passion, and zeal. Heavenly Father wants us to open our eyes so that we can come into partnership with Him in a greater way. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:14(NLT), “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” We must press-in to God, to hear the fresh revelation we need. He’s taking us higher, and the path is a little different than the one we’re used to.
Galatians 5:24(NLT) tells us, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.” When we ignore the things that God has called us to do, we ignore the cross of Jesus Christ. Heaven risked it all when God allowed our precious King to leave the throne and come to earth to show us the way. Our Lord and Savior was crucified to give you and me the opportunity to nail our dead and dark nature to the his cross and leave it there. He demands that we operate fully from a place of love. Don’t leave your walk to your own speculation. Ask the Lord if there’s anything about the course you’re on that needs to be corrected. He’ll help us, so that we can walk out our destinies and fulfill the purpose to which we were called.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Do You Need A Course Correction?”, written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2019. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.