A fresh trail

Are you a hiker?  Have you ever forged a new trail, by foot, snowmobile or whatever means possible?  Or maybe you like to try things new, “same old, same old” isn’t your style but changing things up is.

Not me.  I’m a creature of habit.  Oh, I’ve forged a new trail on a snowmobile before but only because I went the wrong way L.   A “new path” doesn’t sound inviting to me at all.  It sounds scary.

But . . .  being in a rut doesn’t sound fun either.  It sounds sort of unhealthy and binding.    Dead.

My devotion, Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, had this quote:

I, the Creator of the universe, am the most creative Being imaginable.  I will not leave you circling in deeply rutted paths.  Instead, I will lead you along fresh trails of adventure, revealing to you things you did not know.  Stay in communication with Me.  Follow My guiding Presence.

First of all, what could “circling in deeply rutted paths” mean?  Let’s think this through. 

• Having habits that own us.
• Having a “closed” kind of attitude - not open to change, growing, etc.
• Having no future beyond the “rut”.  Not even knowing there is a “beyond”.

It makes me think of a Nascar race that never ends.  The cars just go around and around and around.  Going nowhere.   No winner, no loser, no nothing.  Sorry, I digress . . . .

The most creative Being imaginable, says He will NOT leave us doing that.  Instead,  Jesus says, “I will lead you along fresh trails”.  The scripture for this particular quote is from Psalm 32, one of my favs.  Psalm 32 says,

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.

I will counsel you and watch over you.

And this Psalm (16) says it all:

You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your Presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

I want to shout, “take me!  Take me!”    But wait, what happened to “being a creature of habit” and “never wanting to “forge a new trail”?

Wwwweeeelllll . . .  obviously, I’m in a rut.  I need to look “beyond” - to free myself from bad habits and to grow.  I want to want to want to.  You know what I mean?  Its gonna hurt, I know it is, but I want to do things God’s way – to find a fresh trail.  To STAY on the fresh trail.   In order to do that, I need to communicate, learn, and know God better.  Stay connected.  Follow.

 

I have posted the following before, but I think it speaks directly to what I am talking about here:

Chapter 1: I walk down the street.  There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.  I fall in.  I am lost... I am hopeless.  It isn't my fault.  It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2:  I walk down the same street.  There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.  I pretend I don't see it.  I fall in again.  I can't believe I'm in the same place.  But it isn't my fault.  It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3:  I walk down the same street.  There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.  I see it is there.  I still fall in... it's a habit.  My eyes are open.  I know where I am.  It is my fault.  I get  out immediately.

Chapter 4:  I walk down the same street.  There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.  I walk around it.  I walk down another street.

Right now, my heart is beating a little bit faster, excited as to what God has planned for my life.  Do I know what that is?  Nope.  I just know that the God of the universe wants me to follow “His guiding Presence”, revealing things I do not know on a fresh trail.

I want to close with a beautiful prayer from Lysa TerKeurst:

God, I know You are more powerful than this pull I am feeling.  I know this thing I think I want so much will only provide temporary pleasure.  I know the consequences of making this choice will rob me of joy and peace in the near future.  Through Your Power, I am making the choice to walk away.  I will find my delight in You and look forward to feeling Your fullness replace the emptiness this desire creates.

In Your Precious Name, Amen!