“Detours are anything but convenient. As we journey through life let’s try to remember even in the detours of life, God has a plan.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – November 24, 2023
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5
Have you ever been driving along when suddenly you come upon road construction, and your GPS takes you on an unplanned detour? Instead of moving along in a nice, straightforward direction, you find yourself on a longer route, likely on back roads, with many twists and turns. Yes, I’m sure it’s happened to us all. But you know what? Life is a lot like that. You imagined your life would go down one path, and suddenly, it took a sharp left and turned down a road you would never have expected.
As I began to think about significant detours in life, I thought about Naomi. I’m sure when she first married and had children, she never imagined losing her husband and two sons. During those times, it was customary for the sons to take care of their mother, but now there was no one left but her two daughters-in-law. Who was going to care for Naomi now? I can only imagine the fear she must have felt. The heart-pounding, sleepless nights wondering what would become of her and the family she had left.
As we journey down this road in life, it typically has many curves and bends. Have you ever known anyone whose life has taken a straight-line path? It is the one-in-a-million person who gets to go from point A to B and straight on to Z. Most often, God takes you from A to F, back to D, and then on to Q.
Believe it or not, detours are good things that often feel bad. They are usually designed for our good, regardless of our thoughts. In general, people like to plan. We have our calendars where we map out our days and lives to help keep everything running smoothly.
We like the efficiency of moving in a forward direction and a steady pattern. We would never plan chaos or detours into our lives on purpose, yet that seems to be God’s approach to guiding us. Rarely does He ever take someone directly to the destiny He has for them without taking them on a detour or two or ten.
Most times, God will take us on a detour because He is constructing something in our lives. Admittedly, detours are anything but convenient. They take us out of the way and always out of our comfort zone. But they are necessary. God is more interested in our development than our arrival, and He cares more for our character than our comfort. As we journey through life, let’s remember that even in the detours of life, God has a plan. Let’s trust Him.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Prayer
Lord Jesus, even when I cannot see the road ahead or understand where you are taking me help me to trust in you. Help me to be patient through life’s detours and when the road isn’t smooth remind me that I am safe in your arms.
Application
Is this a season where God is taking you on a back roads tour? If it is, sit back, take His hand, and enjoy the ride. Take it all in as you don’t want to miss out on all the things God may be showing you along the way.
Related Reading
Romans 8:28; Psalm 28:7; Psalm 9:10; Isaiah 26:3
Worship Resource
Tasha Layton: Into the Sea (It’s Gonna Be Ok)
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