My Gentle Shepherd, I can’t help it but when I bring my struggles to You in prayer, I bring along well thought-out solutions hoping You will accept them and put them into action. But, the longer I walk with You, the more I’m discovering that You do not work that way. That’s because Your ways are not my ways. I understand Your meaning when I reflect on the dilemma of Your children experiencing the massive, fortified city of Jericho blocking their path into the Promised Land. I’m sure there was no shortage of ideas from the people on how to solve this problem. However, You did not seek the advice of any of them. Instead, You requested their obedience … complete and unwavering obedience. What You commanded was for them to march around the wall … for six straight days … and on the seventh day to add the blast from a trumpet and a loud shout. The power of the sound made the wall come crumbling down … not what I would have envisioned.
What impresses me the most about the Israelites is not their willingness to do the first day’s seemingly futile steps of obedience, but to repeat the exercise six more times without seeing their obstacle eliminated. How many days do I obey Your instructions without seeing the results I expected before I become discouraged and loose heart? How many times have I given up just before my victory was to appear? Each time that I give up on following Your instructions, I cheat myself out of the certain victory that You had in mind when You gave them to me. Therefore, I must continue marching forward when I don’t see my circumstances changing the way I expect them to. It is sometimes hard to continue trusting and believing while You work behind the scenes. So the crux of my dilemma is what to do when You give me instructions and I’m reluctant to follow. I know your answer … keep marching!!
In choosing how to proceed in resolving a problem, I must be open to whatever You instruct me to do … even when it doesn’t make sense to me. I must keep asking myself … “what will I miss out on if I do not do it Your way?” There are many times when I must choose to walk by faith and not by sight. I should use my trials as opportunities to take You at Your Word and hold You to Your promises. My victories never hinge on my abilities or my well thought-out plans. They are completely dependent on my seeking Your will and being obedient in doing it. My marching orders must remain to keep trusting You and taking step after step until my journey is complete and my goal is achieved. I must trust that Your plan is good for me and will produce a positive outcome. That is why I am focused on doing things Your way. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.