The Road Ahead


Roads. Some are short with a definite destination. Others are long and winding, with a scenic view.

Like me, you might find yourself on a road you didn’t know you were on, but when you look back you can see where it started and where it’s taken you, even if you still can’t see the end clearly.

And then there are the somewhat defined roads. You know where they start—the moment your life changed—but you don’t know where it ends. What you do know is you don’t like the look of the road. You stand at the threshold knowing it will be hard, physically, emotionally, and mentally, and there is no way around it.

Maybe that road is the diagnosis, unemployment, the end of a relationship, the loss of a loved one, or one of so many other defining moments that feel dark and depressing.

Instead of things that can be done, there are things that have to be done. Instead of possibilities, life looks full of impossibilities.

And yet, we are not alone on this oppressive road. We have a traveling companion who has promised to never leave us despite the rocky, uphill climb. God promises to go before us, walk beside us, and follow behind us, giving us what we need along the way. {Tweet this}

Jesus is the Light that will break through the darkness.

Some days along the road are filled with a dark fog blocking the light. There is sadness and exhaustion. Bad news that causes us to grieve and wonder if the sun will shine again. But, no matter how hopeless we feel, the darkness can never extinguish the light of Jesus.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

When we can’t feel it, we have to know it—remember it—Jesus is the Light that shines through the darkness. When we can’t see the light, He’s still there, and the fog won’t block the light forever.

God is at work no matter what we can or can’t see.

Especially during difficult times, we have to remember that God is at work behind the scenes. Sometimes, He’ll give us a glimpse of what He’s working on, but often we just have to trust that His plans are good.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.

It’s not easy to trust when we can’t understand why, or how, or when, but I’ve found that the more I try to trust Him, the more I want to trust Him, and with practice I don’t have to try as hard. Trusting Him feels comfortable and becomes more natural.

He is the One who holds us up when we can barely move on our own.

There will be days when we don’t want to get out of bed. If our feet don’t touch the floor, maybe we won’t have to face anything. It’s too hard to hold ourselves up, much less be there to support others. But, whether we stay in bed or trudge through the day, we are not alone.

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

There have been many times when I reflected back on my day and didn’t know how I made it through. It was a blur of difficulty that I didn’t have the strength for. 

The only answer was God. 

I know He was holding me up when I could barely stand on my own. He was there in the hard conversations and the actions I didn’t want to take. He was there to pull me up when the feeling of hopelessness was too great.

No matter what the road ahead of us looks like, God is with us and He won’t leave us. {Tweet this} The days will be hard and some will feel as dark as night…but we are not alone and the sun will shine again.

Lord Jesus, we know that in this life we will have trouble, but You have promised to never leave us. You have promised us peace in the midst of the storms. May we believe Your promises are for us and cling to Your presence in our lives. Amen.

In Christ,
Laura 

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]


14 comments:

  1. Amen! May we ever cling to the promises of God. Thanks for sharing, Laura. Blessings to you.

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  2. The presence of God is not lessened one whit by my inattention to Him, but it makes so much difference when I look squarely at the situation and at the promises of God. It's so easy for me to forget that every road I'm on is part of a journey with Him.
    Thanks, Laura, for this glorious reminder of encouraging truth.

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  3. So grateful He has been with me on every road - the ones I chose and the ones I was forced to travel. The hard and easy ones. The ones full of laughter and the ones full of tears. Grateful this morning for I have never traveled alone. He goes before me, with me, and behind me. Thank you for this precious reminder!

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  4. Yes, what a wonderful reminder, Laura! It is so wonderful that no matter where we are or what has happened, God is with us and He is always there to hold us and carry us. Thank you for sharing this over at GraceFull Tuesday!

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  5. This is great timing for me to read, Laura. I'm currently memorizing Matthew 5 and we are on the verses lately about light! "Jesus is the Light that will break through the darkness." Amen.

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  6. So good, Laura! We are in a season of In Between... waiting to know which new road to take! The good news is, as you mentioned, He always goes with us... before us... behind us... but we all need the reminders, right?

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  7. "When we can’t feel it, we have to know it—remember it" - I was explaining this to my boys a few days ago - and I don't think they quite get it yet - that faith, love, and hope aren't about feeling it - it's about choosing it. Some of my boys are in new seasons - and I remember those seasons. I'm getting ready to enter a new season - and your post hits the right spot as I stand at the beginning of this road - and trust as I embark upon it! God's timing is perfect - and your post was in his timing for me!

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  8. Hi Laura, you are so right, the only answer is God! Great post
    God bless
    Tracy

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  9. Awww, Laura, you share such gentle wisdom here. So much of how we travel the roads in our lives comes down to our perspective. Are we going to lean into God and trust Him when the road turns, or are we going to go it on our own?

    I loved what you said here:
    "Especially during difficult times, we have to remember that God is at work behind the scenes. Sometimes, He’ll give us a glimpse of what He’s working on, but often we just have to trust that His plans are good."

    We need to remember God's character, even when life doesn't make sense or seems to contradict what we thought we knew.

    You've given me good food for thought.

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  10. Has anyone ever called you an encourager? It's evident you are. :) Thanks for linking this encouraging post with us at BVN. Have a great weekend!

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  11. Your roads remind me of uncharted water! God is always good and He knows where we are going and why. He is the only answer!

    I received my book and will be posting a picture on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter today! Thank you!

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  12. I needed this reminder this morning!

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  13. Laura, I've been on paths like this before. You write thoughtfully and with sensitivity about a hard topic. Praying God's blessings on you today.

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  14. Laura, this beautiful! And I can so relate to the part about having days where we do not want to get out of bed. And if my feet don't hit the floor, then I do not have to face anything. Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I am dropping by from Blessings Bloggers.

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