I don't think I ever recall a summer season where there has been so much road work everywhere. A few weeks ago, I thought I was trapped in my neighborhood. Every other street was either been scraped or repaved at the same time.
There are days that the detours are an adventure. Other days, the detours are a complete drag, souring a good portion of my day. I don't like inefficiency and poor planning. People might need to leave their neighborhoods every now and again. Travel time might be doubled at times. Some days, I'm on a schedule, and it makes it challenging.
A few days ago, I noticed how tense and anxious I was on the road ways. I was pressed for time unnecessarily. I say this because it was a day when I had plenty of time. I realized that I had to calm down and that a detour, a train crossing, not making the light in time wasn't going to affect anything.
Fast-forward to this past Sunday morning. I almost skipped church. My bed seemed extra cozy, and I was tired. It seemed like a match. However, I read something I had written a while ago that inspired me to show up today. It was something that the Lord spoken to me in church. I'm going through a time right now that causes me to welcome any guidance I can get. It's not an easy thing to feel like your world has been uprooted and up is down.
It truly paid off to be in the house of God. The Lord gave me a word about detours. He likened my spiritual journey at this moment as a detour He had taken me on. You can't imagine the peace I discovered. There are times I second guess the decisions I've made. It's always good to examine oneself regarding one's current reality. When God isn't in the mix because we haven't sought His ways or we haven't taken the time to consider His will, we need to course-correct. Repentance is the first course. Secondly, we may need to retrace our steps and find Him where we last left Him.
In this case, I was thoroughly encouraged because He spoke through the pastor to show me He ordained this detour. In other words, I didn't end up on this detour because I missed something. I didn't get ahead of His plans. Although I have emotions and they're running high, this current place isn't a result of allowing emotions to dictate my choices. Being in service was validating.
As I said prior, the season I'm in seems important, tricky to navigate, and like I've veered off my ministry path. It's not weird that it feels that way since I'm on a detour! Knowing that the Lord is the author of this stage gives me greater confidence and security. In fact, now that He's confirmed his role in the whole thing, I have a newfound determination to enjoy the ride. No more fussing during the detour. I'll just play the tourist on a fun journey.