Yet after over two years of infertility, watching my five-month-old in my husband’s arms, something shifted. The Lord was shifting the direction of my launch. Turning it for His purposes, and my joy. Finding myself a homemaker, of which I was decidedly never going to be, with babe in arms, of which I had desired for so long, I found a gift I never knew I’d wanted. I didn’t want to leave it, not even for a short time. In geometry you learn that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Yet the Lord, in His sovereignty and great love for you, is not in a hurry to get you from Point A to Point B. Rather, it’s the journey He cares about.
Think about the Lord leading the Israelites out of Egypt, the land of their slavery, and bringing them to the Promised Land, Israel. The place He had prepared for them.
A straight-line journey would not have taken long. Yet the Lord knew the Israelites needed to be refined as a nation. He needed to strip away sin, teach them to trust Him, build up their strength, courage, and number, and prepare them for what lay ahead. A twisting, winding, turning, one step forward, three steps back journey of 40 years ensued. And when they were ready, in His perfect timing and way, He brought them into the land. He operates in a similar way in your life. Imagine a map. With Point A largely marked in the west, and Point B largely marked in the southeast. Then there is a line. It begins aimed straight toward Point B. Yet then curves to the northeast, and then to the west, where it travels in the exact opposite direction of point B. Here the Lord chisels away some of your pride. The line curves again, back toward the southeast, regaining the proper compass toward Point B. Then suddenly turns sharply to the southwest. A loss has occurred. Here the Lord builds in you His compassion. You curve back east, then loop north, west, south, and finally east again. During this loop the Lord grows gratitude in your heart. An abiding thankfulness, often a sacrifice, no matter the circumstance. Back on track you begin heading due east, straight toward Point B. You are humming along now. Plans are falling into place. One step begets another. And then… SLAM!
You hit a wall. You never saw it coming. For a while, the journey seems to have stopped. Stationary. Halted. A large dot on your map.
Here the Lord reminds you, it’s not by might, nor by power, yet by His Spirit that you travel this journey. (Zech 4:6) Here He cuts away your self-effort and performance. He drills out perfectionism. He saws off your secret desires of glory. Here He speaks deep into your heart: Be still, and know that I am God. (Ps 46:10) He restores you. He nourishes your dependence on Him. He refines your desire for His glory. He humbles you. He loves you. He reminds you that your gifts are not your own, rather given to you by Him, for His good purposes. He sets you along the journey, and suddenly you find yourself at Point B. (John 6:21) Only it wasn’t in the location where you thought it would be. Yet you took an amazing jump. And now, you are ready to launch again. For your Point B, will always become your next Point A. Along this journey the Lord shapes you, molds you, chisels and forms you, to be who you want to be and who He’s created you to be. Then you are best able to do what He’s made you to do. He uses you, and sanctifies you, the whole way. He never stops loving you. Yet He shifts what you thought would be your Point B. Never would I have dreamed of living an abundant life as home maker and home educator. My Point B looked much different. Perhaps you are on the painful part of the journey. What you thought would be, isn’t. What you planned, won’t. What you desired, shifted. Or perhaps you are humming, heading straight toward your Point B. No matter where you are on the journey, seek your Father God. He is never lost. Follow Jesus. He is your Good Shepherd. He is, and knows, the way. Listen to the Holy Spirit. He is your Counselor and Guide, helping you stay on His path. Trust the Lord as your launch shifts. The works He prepared in advance for you are good. They will bring you joy, and Him glory. Continue your launch. © Sanctuary of Home™ All Rights Reserved
All Scripture references, unless otherwise indicated, are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
2 Comments
Deneen Hanson
8/17/2024 10:48:45 am
Mellany...so true!
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Mellany Zepelak
8/19/2024 05:53:02 pm
Deneen! I am grateful you can relate and affirm that the Lord's plans are not our own!
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