My sweet friend Gail wrote this devotional, I love it! It made me realize that I want and need God to direct my steps. I want and need to be in His perfect will. Submitting ourselves to God is the key here ladies. When you get up, do you ask God to direct your day? Do you seek Him to guide you where He wants you to go? Gail has been on many missions trips and here is her devotional that she wrote about one of her trips. It challenged me! Thanks Gail
I couldn’t wait to open my email and see my flight itinerary for the Kenya mission trip. It was not what I expected. In fact I was quite disappointed. I have to leave Rochester, NY at 6 am and fly to Atlanta. That means I have to be at the airport at 4 am. That is way too early in the morning for me. Worse yet after I get to Atlanta, I have to wait until 3 in the afternoon to catch my next flight. I would be waiting seven whole hours at the Atlanta airport before boarding the nine hour flight to Amsterdam. Then I have five more hours of waiting, before I board the eight hour flight to Nairobi. I have to do all this just to begin the Kenya mission trip. God what are you doing to me? First I have a really early morning flight, then lots of layover waiting time with two very long flights. I was annoyed. Why couldn’t God arrange a better flight itinerary?
Then I thought about life and realized that with God, I don’t arrive straight at my intended destination. There are lots of detours and waiting times. God has to teach me along the journey. And yes, there are times, when I made Him wait because I was stubborn or did not do what He had planned for me. Proverbs 16:9 states “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” I have no problem planning my way. Unfortunately, it usually is my way and I let God in on my plan. But the verse says that man plans his way BUT the LORD directs his steps. Without God directing our steps, we can’t plan the way God intended for us.
Then I thought of Proverbs 3:5 & 6- Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Ouch! That must mean when I plan my own way and I don’t even acknowledge Him or really trust Him with my life. Worse yet because of that, I won’t go straight to my destination.
Even more verses came to mind:
Lamentations 3:25- The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him
Isaiah 64:4- Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
Isaiah 40:31- But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Psalm 37:5- Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Now, I know what God is doing to me. He is building patience and trust in me. I am learning to let God direct my steps. I have to commit my way to Him, trust Him and acknowledge Him in everything. I must wait upon Him too. Did you notice the rewards mentioned in the verses? When I trust Him and committing my way to Him, then my paths are straight. When I wait on Him, He is good to me, He acts on my behalf and my strength is renewed. He will bring it to pass.
Then I remembered, I am going to Kenya to serve God on a mission trip. I am there to bring Him glory. It is not about me. Is it really so hard to get up early, to wait a few hours and have a few long flights? As a bonus, I get to fly with one of my friends, Chris. We haven’t seen each other in almost a year. We will have a long time to catch up. This is not so bad after all. In fact, thank you God for arranging my mission trip flight!