Have You Ever Been "Stuck"?
Psalm 37:23-24 (ESV)
{23} The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; {24} though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.
Sometimes in life we can hit a spot where it seems we are sort of "stuck". It isn't that our life isn't good, it's just that it doesn't seem to be "going anywhere". When we lose sight of God's vision for our lives, we tend to get dissatisfied and lost in the fog. I can certainly relate to this subject in my own life. There have been periods when I have lost sight, lost focus, and are seemingly "lost in the fog".
I don't know if you've ever been literally 'lost in the fog' but if you have, you can relate to the analogy. I remember once driving home from West Plains and the fog was so thick that any sensible person would have gotten off the road and waited. Since I'm not sensible, I rolled down my window and was literally driving down the road looking down at the yellow line in the middle of the highway to make sure I stayed on the road. I couldn't see anything in front of me, but I kept driving! By the incredible Grace of God I made it home without incident, but looking back, it was probably one of the most dangerous stunts I've ever pulled! Any obstacle in the road would have spelled disaster. I would have been totally unprepared and unable to stop or to avoid the collision.
In my life, sometimes I get in the fog. I can't see where I'm going and I feel 'lost'. The good news from scripture is that there is a remedy for the fog! "The steps of a man are established BY THE LORD, when HE DELIGHTS IN HIS WAY." To find a way in the midst of the fog to delight in it will result in God establishing our steps! He didn't say 'curse the fog'. He didn't say 'try to get out of the fog'. He didn't say 'just sit still untill the fog lifts'. He said to 'delight IN THE FOG'.
Now I will be the first to admit that this concept makes very little practicle sense, but the bible says that God's ways are different than ours. Therefore, when we find ourselves lost in the fog, we need to delight in it! That's a choice that we make. That's a decision we determine in our own mind and heart and say, OK God. I'm here and I don't know why but let's have some fun!
When I think about the word "delight" I think about my grandkids and how they are so happy doing 'whatever'. Even little Cooper can express sheer delight at the simplest things He can be sitting on Jackie's lap, totally powerless to go anywhere or do anything; 'stuck' if you will;(ALTHOUG BEING STUCK ON NAN'S LAP ISN'T SUCH A BAD THING!) and I can just look at him and open and close my hand to wave at him and he will grin from ear to ear and sometimes even laugh out loud. I have no clue why that motion is so funny to him, but he finds delight in it even though to me it looks like he is 'stuck'.
So, we need to learn from the kids and delight in our situation no matter what it may be. Oh, wait. Didn't scripture say something about that too?
Now, here's the rest of the story. You're stuck in the fog but you've decided to have a party while you're there. You're still walking down the road but you're finding delight in the fog. You're bee bopping along and all of a sudden.......you stumble! Something was in the path and you fell right over it! The good news from scripture is this, "though he fall" (and you will) he shall not be cast headlong for the LORD upholds his hand." Even though we may be unable to see where we are going, even though we may be in the fog, we need to delight that God has allowed us to be there and we need to keep walking. When we stumble;(and stumbling probably looks a whole lot like, uh, .... sin), we need to remember that as long as we are delighting in our journey, even though we stumble, we sin, God is not going to let it destroy us. God Himself is holding our hand!
My favorite scripture has always been Isaiah 41:10. In it, God says "Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will hold you up with my righteous right hand." If you find yourself lost in the fog like me, relax and find a way to delight in your circumstance. Be thankful to God for where you are, even if you don't like it or understand it. Make the conscious choice to "DELIGHT". Keep moving and know that even if you stumble, God is holding your hand!
Shaloam!
Father,
I admit that I have been lost in the fog for quite some time now. I confess that I've let that lostness cause unhappiness and discontentment in my life. I've become bitter and angry because I don't understand why the fog hasn't lifted. So today, I make a choice. In obedience to your word, I choose to delight in the fog! I thank you that you have allowed me to become lost and confused, and I'm going to delight on my journey today in the fog! I wish I knew where we were going, but I'm just glad that you're in charge of the fog and the journey! So today, I choose to relax in my 'lostness' and just delight in being where I am. I believe that you will catch me if I fall, so I will move forward with confidence and no longer let the fog hold me at a stand-still.
Thank you for being so incredibly patient with hard headed people like me. Forgive me for being selfish and childish in my attitudes and help me to live up to my committment to delight in where I am.
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