A Path Less Trodden

04-14-2013

Have you ever felt led by the Lord to do or say something, or go somewhere...felt the urge of His Spirit to move...heard His voice say "Go"...but when you stepped out in faith and obedience things didn't go exactly the way you thought they would?

Several days ago, as I was going about my daily business (or busyness...), God spoke to my heart about this. He showed me that just because He has called us to do something does NOT mean it will be easy. We are tested through trials to build our perseverance and we are refined by the fire, yet we often think that if we're on the path that God has appointed for us it will be easy...that there won't be potholes, rough roads and obstacles ahead.

The fact is that there is purpose in the things we face on the road we are on, and when God calls us to do something for Him - to step out in faith and obey, HE will make the way and HE will enable us to walk the path He has set us on. He will give us the strength to walk through every situation and circumstance we may face, and He will never leave us to walk alone. God does not always call us to walk the path of least resistance where we would find it easy to trust in ourselves and our own strength and wisdom (Jesus certainly did not walk an easy path). Instead, He has us walk a path less traveled - a rougher road; one that requires us to lean on His strength and to trust His voice when we may not be able to see what's ahead or which way to go. He didn't call us to have all the answers; He called us to trust Him and walk the road WITH Him.

And then sometimes, in order to take us to the next level - to the high places with Him, we have to climb the steep heights which may seem impossible to us. Psalm 18:33 says, "He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to stand on the heights." In our own strength we cannot walk in the high places that He wants to take us to. We have to take the hard path to get to that next level, but HE equips us to do it. We have nothing good in us through our own strength or accomplishments, but EVERY good and perfect gift comes from Him!

Walking out God's plans for our lives is not always easy, but with God it IS possible and we will be stronger in doing it. When we walk with Him on the path He has chosen for us He will teach us His wisdom along the way, give us His strength and peace, and take us into a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. It's time we choose to follow where the Lord leads, regardless of difficulty and in spite of feeling like we can't do it. Nothing is impossible with God and we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. He will never leave us alone, but will walk every step with us on the path less trodden.