The Road Less Traveled...

📷: wallpapercave.com

2016 is here!
And instead of making plans regarding the year ahead, I am approaching this year differently by releasing all my plans to God, knowing that change is inevitable but growth... growth is optional. And I choose grow more as a person. Grow deeper. Grow stronger. And let God take the lead as I totally rely on Him and His timing. For I know that He will finish what He started in my life. The journey may seem a little longer than what I hoped for, but I know that I will reach my destination.

What am I saying?
Well, for quite some time I uhave attempted to control various areas of my life. Made decisions regarding what "I" want to do with "my life," constructed a timeline regarding when certain things should be done and how. If I could bluntly say it myself, I was over-thinking things. But, what I am learning is that as much as we would like to believe that we are in control, the fact of the matter is that God has bigger plans for each one of us than we have for ourselves. The Bible mentions that God has plans for our lives, they are plans to prosper us and not harm us but give us a hope and future (Jeremiah 29:11).

There will be times in our lives when we have to make hard decisions. And when we resist His Will that does not make things impossible, it merely delays the process. Therefore, we have to willingly let Him guide us. Be obedient. That means we have to release our dreams and visions and grab hold of His. It also requires that we re-examine particular areas and deal with the 'weeds' in our lives (such as friendships and relationships). This process will make us uncomfortable at times and there may be challenges but Christ overcame it all for he knew that victory lies ahead (John 16:33). And that is the same mentality we should possess.

How do we get there?
How about taking the road less travelled, the 'high road'? This may be somewhat difficult for some but running your race with purpose and finishing strong as you press on (Philippians 3:13-14) is what it is all about. Romans 5:3-4 states that we will experience tests and trials. They will stretch us, teach us to endure and help us loosen up so in the end so we may be flexible and used by Him. And as we develop our character and stay in faith, we can be sure that God is able to do whatever He promises. With that said, we do not always need to know where He is taking us and what He is doing, but we can be certain that He never disappoints.

For God knows where our journey will take us and He knows exactly which path we should follow. There will be times when we need to take the back seat, observe and be patient. Thus, wait on Him. And that does not imply that you are doing nothing. On the contrary, waiting is a means to an end. It implies that you trust God, that you are leaning on Him. And just as you prepare things for a guest coming over for dinner, you have to straighten things out in your home prior to his or her arrival. Prepare the meal, set the table and then sit down and relax. In a similar manner, we should perceive waiting as our time to prepare.

I know that waiting can make us feel restless and vulnerable but we should push through nonetheless. Rise up! Keep going. Trust and obey Him. Look at the promises God has made and realize that we do not need to see the whole stair case (see the big picture) before we take the first step. We just need to trust Him as He leads us, continue to take one step at a time and know that inward obedience will later lead to outward growth. So as you and I wait on Him and His timing, we can use this time to get to know Him a little better. We can draw near to Him, obtain first-hand revelations of what He is like and know that He will draw near to us.

P.S. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

- Mel ♡♥♡