Finding God’s Path for Me in this Crazy World

Recently I was pondering what is God’s path for my life in the midst of all this craziness of life with pandemic, divisions, racial tensions and shortages. What I ended up doing was compiling a list of verses that dealt with His directing me and helping me navigate through this life until I join Him in glory. I will stop writing and let God’s word do the rest of the talking. Pray you are blessed, encouraged and your hope renewed as you read these.

Psalm 16:11

[11] You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 23:3

[3] He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

Psalm 25:4

[4] Make me to know your ways, O LORD;

teach me your paths.

Psalm 32:8

[8] I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Psalm 17:5

my feet have not slipped.

[5] My steps have held fast to your paths;

Psalm 25:12

[12] Who is the man who fears the LORD?

Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

Psalm 128:1

[1] Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,

who walks in his ways!

Psalm 143:8

[8] Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,

for in you I trust.

Make me know the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul.

Psalm 143:10

[10] Teach me to do your will,

for you are my God!

Let your good Spirit lead me

on level ground!

Proverbs 2:20

[20] So you will walk in the way of the good

and keep to the paths of the righteous.

Proverbs 3:21-23

[21] My son, do not lose sight of these—

keep sound wisdom and discretion,

[22] and they will be life for your soul

and adornment for your neck.

[23] Then you will walk on your way securely,

and your foot will not stumble.

Proverbs 4:11-12

[11] I have taught you the way of wisdom;

I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

[12] When you walk, your step will not be hampered,

and if you run, you will not stumble.

Proverbs 4:26

[26] Ponder the path of your feet;

then all your ways will be sure.

Proverbs 20:24

[24]

A man’s steps are from the LORD;

how then can man understand his way?

Isaiah 30:21

[21] And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

Isaiah 43:19

[19] Behold, I am doing a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 48:17

[17] Thus says the LORD,

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“I am the LORD your God,

who teaches you to profit,

who leads you in the way you should go.

Isaiah 55:8-9

[8] For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

[9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 57:10

[10] You were wearied with the length of your way,

but you did not say, “It is hopeless”;

you found new life for your strength,

and so you were not faint.

Jeremiah 6:16

[16] Thus says the LORD:

“Stand by the roads, and look,

and ask for the ancient paths,

where the good way is; and walk in it,

and find rest for your souls.

But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Lamentations 3:40

[40] Let us test and examine our ways,

and return to the LORD!

Hosea 14:9

[9] Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;

whoever is discerning, let him know them;

for the ways of the LORD are right,

and the upright walk in them,

but transgressors stumble in them.

Ephesians 4:15

[15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ

1 John 2:5-6

[5] but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: [6] whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

The Clean Slate of a New Year

A friend mentioned to me a couple of years ago how we have a whole new year ahead of us that is a clean slate of 365 days. He went on to say it is like a new snow before any footprints have made any paths.

Yesterday, I was pondering this as we had over 8 inches of new snow that fell. Each step I make in the snow permanently changes how it looks. I contemplated how each thing I do, every word I speak and each thought I think has the potential to change the vista in my corner of the world to either improve it or detract from it.

Father God,

Help me to ponder my paths and consider where I will go with my actions, words and thoughts. Enable my paths to be filled with sweet communion with You and falling more in love with You, Lord. May my paths be filled with love for You and love for others, as well as Your perfect peace, joy and gratitude. Lead me in paths that bring honor and glory to You. Please let me not mar my hours and days with the mud of resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, what-ifs, ingratitude or selfishness. Instead, Lord, enable me to beautify my path by loving, giving, sharing, serving and extending grace to those You place along my journey through 2020.

Lord, I desire to be fully engaged in my relationships, in noticing others and recognizing their needs, by being awestruck by Your glorious creation as I walk through each moment You ordain. Deepen my appreciation of all of Your gifts, even the ones that come in the rocky, steep terrain of suffering or inconveniences of a suddenly changed course. May I fully trust Your purposes and rest in Your faithfulness that Your sovereign path for my life is for my eternal good and Your glory.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

So as I look at our new snow, I notice where a bird or rabbit have gently, perhaps timidly, left their marks. I also notice the gregarious patterns left by my two dogs bounding joyously through the snow. I again ponder how at times the Lord allows times to gently walk one uncertain step at a time while other times we must boldly bound out enthusiastically and obediently where He leads. I pray God gives me discernment when to proceed slowly or cautiously and when He is calling me to boldly step out of my comfort zone. In reality, anywhere I am walking with God should be in my comfort zone.

I am asking the Lord to give me His ability to walk each step in 2020 with faith and confidence in my faithful, sovereign, good and wise God instead of getting off course with worry, inadequacies or fear.

Today I look with anticipation at the blank slate of 2020 and where the Lord directs my paths.

May you each have a wondrous and Happy New Year!

Blessings,

Deb