During a service at church we got on our knees and prayed fervently. With a heavy heart, I prayed in light of the reality that friends were out of work, banks were going under, and families were struggling.
Many months later, these prayers circled back to me as my company announced layoffs. My mind swirled with questions, doubts and fear. An attitude of concern for others turned inward and I no longer sympathized; I now empathized.
How would bills be paid?
Will we be forced to deplete the savings we worked so hard for?
Will I have to give up the expensive smart phone I love so much?
I sat in my car after receiving the life changing news, tempted to drive home, crawl into bed and throw the covers over my head for days. A pit in my stomach gave away my deepfeelings of loneliness, as if God stepped away for a moment––the very moment I needed Him most. Through the haze of uncertainty, I realized a crossroad of faith before me: I could either drive down the road of despair or I could step out in absolute trust that God Almighty makes this windy, uncertain road straight. Would I believe His Word?
This verse in Proverbs reminds me that while things in the economy are beyond my immediate realm of influence and control, they are not above God’s power and authority. When we are struggling, nothing is outside the reach of our Lord.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
A quiet calm soothed my loneliness and despair. Like traffic signs on the road, these statements flashed in my head and sparked trust in my heart.
Our personal finances … GOD KNOWS.
The state of the economy … GOD KNOWS.
Every person without work … GOD KNOWS.
A tangled bank account ... GOD MAKES THE PATH STRAIGHT.
A twisted job situation ... GOD MAKES THE PATH STRAIGHT.
A winding path of uncertainty ... GOD MAKES THE PATH STRAIGHT.
For me, trust is a daily decision. I can either stay in my safe place (that comfy cozy bed with warm covers thrown over my head) or I can boldly step out and not allow my fear of the next twist and turn of life to keep me from all out faith that God will provide. Boy how He provided over the past year. When I opened up my hand, which for so long grasped tightly in control, and let God do His thing in my life.
~Money doesn’t define my quality of life. Though it is tight at times, He provides in ways that go beyond the numbers in our bank account.
~God showed us His favor by allowing me to stay home and build up my ministry of writing and blogging.
~I found freedom in surrendering my expectations of how life should be. Picking up instead, the expectation that God’s path is more fulfilling.
As I reflect over this past year where I drove down that winding road of trust in the Lord, I see glimpses of how He does, in fact, make my path straight. That straight path is not always illuminated with answers to my questions of “why” and the “what if,” but God never fails to shine light on my fear as He guides me through those twists and turns. But, it is up to me to do my part–– to trust and declare that GOD KNOWS. And that is enough for me.
As women who choose to drive down the road of pure trust, we have an opportunity to light up the darkness around us if our friends and family fall into hard times. What an influence we can make when we live out the Word.
Let’s step out onto the straight path of God and claim His truth for ourselves and our loved ones.
Join me in a bold declaration: We will lift up our Lord as King over every area of life: our career, our finances, our family, our friends, our love life. We will not live in fear of our world is seemingly spinning out of control. Instead, we will trust that our GOD KNOWS.
I encourage you to take a few moments to list out any uncertainties in your life and write the phrase HE KNOWS beside each item on this list.
Then make a list ways you can step out in full on trust. Write the phrase HIS STRAIGHT PATH beside each item on this list.
How does this change your perspective on your uncertainties?
Father God, life is tough and often uncertain. Give us faith to believe that when we lean on You, you straighten the uncertainties in Your timing and in Your perfect ways. We boldly declare this over every area of our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
