A Scary Road Ahead

"But I put my trust in you, O Lord. You are my God; my days are in your hands." - Psalm 31:14-15

It is so scary to face the future and come across opportunities in which we have to make serious decisions. Sometimes we know what to do but most times we don't. I remember how scary it was to pick a college and pick a major. It felt so final and how was I to know at that age what I really wanted to do for the rest of my life? And then after college, where was I to work? Now I find myself thinking about marriage and it being so permanent when I'm not sure where my path will lead in a couple of months. Life is so scary; and there's no way of knowing if the choices you make will be good or bad in the long term. Will I be ok in the long term? Will I be ok in 6 months? Or 1 month?

I only know one thing though, and that's that I am going to trust in God to guide me through. He knows where He's taking me even if He lets that road be dark for a couple of miles. I tell Him every day that I hope that He really knows that no matter what, I just want to be led by Him. Tonight in my ministry class, my teacher shared a poem written by a monk named Thomas Merton. I found myself and all I was feeling in those words and it showed me that in all walks of life, we are all scared, but in all walks of life, God is there.

I hope it brings you comfort as you try to figure out your path:

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that my desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me; you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

Forward and Never Back

"I do not claim to have claimed the prize yet. I say only this: forgetting what is behind me, I race forward and run towards the goal, my eyes on the prize to which God has called us from above in Christ Jesus." - Phillipians 3:13-14

What is the prize you have in your heart that you want to achieve? We all have a dream that we want to accomplish, whether it's the ideal job, a stable relationship, better health, or even a better relationship with God and our families. This is what we were called for - to achieve those dreams in the Name of Jesus Christ. And life is a journey so I doubt many of us feel complete right now, but the point is to hope and keep our faith on Jesus, as Saint Paul writes in this passage. See, Paul had the dream of reaching Christ and being like Him in every way. He knew he wasn't there yet, but he kept on trying with hope. He was thrown in jail, shipwrecked, beaten and he still pressed forward to accomplish what God put in his heart. This is what we need to do with the things we want to achieve, keep on marching forward with faith on the Lord, eyes on the prize.

But it's always important that we never look back, because in looking back, we see our weaknesses. We see the areas in which we've failed before or were let down. God calls us to rise above where we are now and move forward. God doesn't want us to remain in the same place where we were hurt but to reach for higher things as Paul expressed! Today, remember you were called for higher things. Hope in the Lord and march forward.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for the hope You give us in our lives. Help me to remain focused, march forward and never reminisce on my past or the areas in which I was hurt. I know You want to better me Lord. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Dark, Unknown Path

"The priest answered them, 'Go in peace, the journey you make is under the eye of Yahweh.'" - Judges 18:6

Life is just so difficult sometimes. There are no road maps, we only get advice that we probably won't follow. Sometimes I feel like I know what I want and what to do with my life and other times I feel so lost, so confused. It feels like I have to make such permanent decisions so fast. When we're in our late teens and 20's, the choices we make have a profound effect on the rest of our lives. Do I take this job, or even this career? Do I marry this person? Should I move to another city? Will I want this 10 years from now, or 5 years or even 1? There are so many paths to take and some are easy but a lot are painful and we might not even have the reassurance that we are doing the right thing. Are we on the right path right now? Is this where we're supposed to be?

This is why it's so important to be in constant contact with God. This journey of life is hard enough by ourselves, we need His guidance. We need Him to tell us that we're on the right path, to be in peace because He is watching us as we walk through it. There so much fear in uncertainty and in facing an unknown, daunting future, but by knowing that the Lord is with me as I go, I am comforted that I am in His hands. How scary it must be for those that don't know God…those who who let their own whims guide them; its a shot in the dark. Without guidance from God they face the next 40 or 50 years taking an unknown, shaky path. One mistake for them could cost them dearly, but putting ourselves in the Lord's presence each day is like being given a flash light to make it through this dark, unknown journey…He illuminates the path as we go.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, I know You have plans for me and my future, but help me see today how I can follow You in getting there. Sometimes I am so afraid and don't know what to do and need Your guidance in making decisions. As scary as it is, just be with me as I go so that I know I am where I need to be. In Your Name we pray, Amen.