Spiritual Detours

Have you ever been driving down the road in a hurry to reach your destination, when to your dismay you see a big, orange sign reading 'DETOUR'?

"Oh, great! I've never been this way before! How am I going to get there now? How long is it going to take me?"

Detours are things that catch us by surprise, suddenly forcing us to go a different way or direction then we had originally planned. However, there is a reason for the detour. Usually it means that part of the road you had planned to travel is being worked upon and being made better. Maybe it's to keep the travellers from some type of danger. Sometimes having to take a detour will actually help you learn a new way of getting somewhere! Being forced to go down a road you have never travelled leads to discovery, a new path which we will most likely remember in the future. "Hey, I've been there before, I know where that road goes now!"

Sometimes God interrupts our own plans for life and sends us on a detour down some paths we never intended on travelling. When we see a big, detour sign blocking the road we had our heart set on, it can be rather frustrating and even discouraging. When we focus on our will and have our lives going the way we think they should be going only to be "re-routed", it can prompt to ask the question, "why, God?" Have you ever suddenly found yourself in a situation wondering how you got there? Job less? Hospitalized? Alone? Losing a loved one?

There have been times in my life when I was suddenly placed on a different path than I had chosen and could do nothing about it. It can be scary going down a road that you have never been on, not knowing what the next turn will bring. Yet when God sends us down a new path, we must trust Him, for He tells us in His word,
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

The beautiful thing about serving God is knowing that He really does have our good in mind. We cannot always see the good at the beginning; rather, we may see much that does not appear to be good. However, in the end we know that God will have His way in us and make our lives something beautiful.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
After you've travelled that new, unknown road once or twice, you'll be able to tell somebody else who is sent down that same path how to find their way. Life brings trials and losses to everybody, but we can still win if we will learn and chose to trust in Him.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)