O Wisdom of the Ages, Your directions are always the best. Whenever I think mine are best, results prove me wrong. Your ways are both liberating and good for me. When I think of what they enable me to do, I say “Teach me Your ways, O Lord.” As I travel through life, I find myself at intersections needing Your wisdom for my decisions. When I encounter roadblocks and detours, I find myself wanting Your guidance. Only the strength that comes from You makes it possible to run my race and exercise patience and perseverance. It takes humility, on my part, to admit that Your direction is always the best. Whenever I come to a crossroad, I should ask You the way to go … then walk in it … and find rest in doing what You told me to do. In considering my path forward, I must always ask “where do You want me to go?” Life is one decision after another and I want to be where You want me to be.
Life’s path is hard to negotiate without Your involvement. So many questions need to be answered … what is ahead … where are You leading me … what are the important things I must consider in making my decision … and, which option is best? When I face the unknown, I must stop, thoughtfully seek my options, ask for Your wisdom and insight, search for my answers in Your word and look to my past to see if I’ve gotten my answer in another situation. I must wait in prayer until I know that I know what is Your good and perfect will. It is only when I can trust You that I can move forward with confidence and peace. Since my decisions don’t often allow me time to pause for very long, it’s important to prepare myself before coming to a crossroad. I do that by spending time with You and Your Word and making prayer a regular part of my life.
I must learn to depend on the Holy Spirit for my guidance and the shaping of my heart and mind if I am to make good decisions. His help is vitally important since temptations to follow the crowds and take the easy way leads me to devastating conclusions. Because You love me … even when my motives are selfish and rebellious … You followed the will of Your Father all the way to Calvary. Help me have the same conviction and resolve to be obedient to You when it is not convenient. You took suffering and hardship upon Yourself to save me. Show me how to put forth the same effort to please You and help my brother. In the same way that You chose to forgive my sins, help me be forgiving toward others who have done me wrong. Teach me Your ways, O Lord, as I approach crossroads throughout my life. Teach me how to seek Your way because it is always the best. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Jeremiah 6:16 This is what the Lord says, “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good ways is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your soul.”