Isn’t it funny how life sometimes has a way of taking detours?
Everything is going along just as you want it and then, suddenly, you see a sign that says: “detour ahead”.
What now lies in front of you is not what you could have ever expected or planned for.
For most of us, 2020 may have seemed like one of those unexpected detours in the road. With the arrival of the COVID-19 virus our lives changed drastically. Many of the things we had taken for granted, were now no longer in our control.
How do you respond to the detours in your road?
Sometimes our focus tends to be only on what’s right in front of us. We only see what the detour is taking us away from and not what it is leading us to.
But detours are no surprise to God. He sees the complete picture and promises to use even the messy, hard and unexpected things for good in our lives.
Some say that life is like watching a parade pass by. We only see a narrow window, while God sees the entire parade-from beginning to end-all at once. Since He sees everything together, He also sees how it all fits together within the beautiful whole.
Kim Meeder
So, you’ve taken a detour.
How do you keep moving forward with confidence when nothing in front of you looks familiar?
Life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it.
Charles Swindoll
- Choose Joy.
You can’t control the detours in the road, but you can choose how you respond to them.
You might say, “I have nothing to be joyful about!” Start with the small things.
Challenge yourself to write down one thing a week that you are grateful for.
It could be a text from a friend, a cup of coffee that tasted extra good or your favourite song on the radio. You might be surprised to find how God uses even the simple things to remind you that He is always with you.
- Reach Out.
We often want to appear to those around us that we have it all together.
But whether we are willing to admit it or not, we don’t always know what steps to take next. You may feel overwhelmed by the challenge before you and unable to make decisions or even carry on.
Reach out to a trusted friend or mentor who can walk alongside you, give guidance and encourage you through your journey.
With the current COVID challenges, you might have to look for creative ways to connect with others.
But don’t give up!
Be purposeful to plan for video or phone calls or outdoor activities you can safely do together.
- Enjoy the Journey
Don’t let the fear of the unknown keep you from experiencing a life greater than you have ever known.
Jeff McClung
What makes for a great adventure story?
The element of the unknown. Not knowing what is around the corner keeps readers turning the pages until they get to the end.
Life with God is an adventure!
Don’t waste so much time focusing on getting to the end of the detour that you forget to enjoy what is happening right here and now.
And remember, God views the whole parade.
What may look to you as a waste-of-time detour, is to Him just part of the route.
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.
1 Peter 1:6-7
Uncertain about what steps God is calling you to take next?
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