Psalm 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
Have you ever been at a crossroad in life? Big decisions that had to be made, knowing that it will have a huge impact, not only on the present, but on your future. Heavy decisions – life changing decisions - those that you know in the deepest parts of you, will reset the course of your life. The type of decisions that leave the past – including many people – behind, and will force you to press forward to new experiences, relationships and adventures. Often we have dreams of a new life, but ties to the old hold us back or delay us from stepping out.
These types of Crossroads invoke a different level of unrest. We get comfortable in our lifestyles. Change threatens to disrupt our daily routines. We get squeamish when we think about altering our current life.
Fear sets in. We start thinking that what we might lose, may outweigh possible gain. Maybe the idea of change threatens your sense of security – your independence or self-sufficiency, or even your dependency on others.
You might be holding too tightly to relationships that are holding you back from where you’re supposed to go. Then again, maybe it’s just the fear of the unknown. If I try this and don’t like it, can I go back, or am I stuck and for how long?
Worry and fear starts to dominate and paralyzes us from moving forward. Corrie Ten Boom said, “Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear.”
I was at a crossroads like this a few years ago. For thirty years, I had a dream of living in North Carolina – I vacationed in the Outer Banks as often as I could and loved the whole state. There was nowhere in the state that I visited, that I didn’t feel at home. I believe it was a dream that God planted in me. At the time, I didn’t know a soul that lived in North Carolina, but continually felt pulled to make a move.
I had prayed and asked God to help me make it a reality all those years. I will admit that I experienced great trepidation - I had first-hand experience with the uncertainty and fear of the unknown. Though I was drawn to make the move and even prayed for God to “make it happen”, that fear held me back from making the decision myself. Over time and many years, I grew in my faith and the day came that I knew that I was the one that had to make the decision. I had to step out – I had to move forward – in faith!
The verse Psalms 18:30, tells us that there is a WAY – a perfect way. It’s proven – which means it’s “tried and tested”. It’s available to those who trust in God. Scripture also tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 that “Power, Love and a Sound Mind” overcome the spirit of fear. Paul gave this scripture to Timothy as a prompting for him to make a move in his ministry – to step out in faith. So you see, even greats like Timothy struggled with crossroads. It’s not our power or love – and certainly not our mind – that enables us to overcome fear. It comes through the Holy Spirit, that indwells us. He empowers us to take action – to move forward in faith. We need just believe in the author of our future – God!
When I finally made the decision to move, I was filled with a peace that I don’t know that I can ever, adequately put into words. I gave God control of the details. I believed it was His plan after all - and He worked it all out in a miraculous way. I followed His lead. I trusted His plan. And here I am today, not only living in this beautiful state, but thriving; physically (my body), mentally (my soul), and spiritually (my spirit).
Stepping out – moving forward - and trusting God’s WAY, grew my faith. Through the experience, God PROVED His Word was true. Psalms 18:30 became real to me. I don’t know about you, but I love it when the Word of God comes alive!!
I know that my future rests in His hands. I will continue to trust in His plan as I set out on new adventures with God!
What life plan or ministry has God laid on your heart that you’ve mulled for days, weeks, months, or years? I encourage you to surrender your life plan to God’s plan. When you find yourself at a crossroad, allow Him to be the author of your future. Move forward. All it takes is one step in faith. Then God will step up beside you and will walk you through it, every step of the way.
Verses for meditation:
Psalm 105:4 “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
Ephesians 1:18–20 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.
The same power that raised Christ from the dead – lives in you - IF you only believe! So, what’s holding you back from believing?
Inspirational Quotes:
The worst evils of life are those which do not exist - except in our imagination. ~ Charles Spurgeon
The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident. ~ Max Lucado
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