The Rocky Road

Have you ever had one of those days, or weeks, when nothing seems to go right? Have you had one of those times when even though good choices are being made, things keep going wrong? When that happens I can’t help but ask God, “What’s going on? Are you mad at me?” But, I know that is not correct thinking. God doesn’t work that way. Bad things happen for a variety of reasons, but our Father being angry with us is not one of them. Trials come to all people, whether we are walking in His ways or not. What is important is how we react to the challenges in our lives. If nothing ever went wrong, we would never need the protection of our Savior. If the road were always smooth, we wouldn’t look to Him for guidance. If we never endured consequences, we would never learn from our mistakes and if we relied only on ourselves, we would become exhausted and end up in a worse place than before.

The past couple of weeks have been challenging. To put it mildly, the road has been rocky. Work has been strenuous and my body has been tired. My husband and I sold a car that was not economical only to have its replacement, the “new to us” car break down! After that, we learned that the part we needed to fix it would not be available for an unknown amount of time, if ever! And, if that weren’t enough, an issue from the past came back to haunt us financially. Strangely enough, right before each of these events, we had made a new, positive decision for Christ! My husband and I each decided to join a new Bible study. I collaborated with a Christian sister to develop a new page connected to my blog on prayer (coming soon). I signed up to volunteer for a local ministry. Together, we continued to make good decisions regarding our finances with the mind set to be able to give more back to God. I joked with my husband that it seemed as if “something” was trying to hold us back from following the path God was leading us on. But, in reality, it is no joking matter. The enemy will try anything to distract a Christian from making a difference for Christ. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

When trials come our way, it is crucial to look to God for guidance. He is the one who will see us through. If we allow ourselves to be distracted and defeated by the bumps along the road, our eyes will be taken off our Lord and Guide, giving our enemy the chance to try to divert us from the path God has chosen for us. “…And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a).
We also need to remember that no matter what troubles come our way, or how deeply we are grieved, our Father will bring something good from them, somehow, someway. We may not always see the positive in any given situation, but we can trust God to deliver. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
So, let us stay strong in the Lord and keep our eyes on Him. He will help us as we travel rocky roads full of difficulty. God has shown me this in the past, and He is showing this to me today. As I surrender my worries, my troubles and my challenges to Him, He is faithful. Though we have been facing some oddly difficult situations, we are keeping our eyes on Him. As a result, He has blessed us with a peace and a comfort that strengthens us on our walk with Him.

Living for Him, Joan

You can read more of Joan’s devotionals by visiting her blog, The Beauty in His Grip.

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