Scribbles

Don’t you hate detours? Especially when you’re anxious to get somewhere? I do. You’re moving along at a good pace and just when you feel like you’ll get to where you’re going on time you see the big orange sign. Then it sets in that you have to go a completely different way. Don’t you hate that? It’s never the way you intended to go. Usually it’s the long way around. Maybe you’ll end up being late…end up wasting more gas along the way. Hey, we can listen to a few more songs, right? But when do we think of the positive? Usually I’ll smack the steering wheel, maybe I’ll let a couple curse words out, I might make a big scene until the guy in the car next to me begins to laugh and point. Thankfully, growing up skinny with a big nose, I’ve become accustomed to people laughing and pointing…cue the acoustic guitar.

Detours happen in our personal lives as well; unfortunately all too often. We can be in the fast lane on our own “Highway to Happiness” and just when we’re coming up to our exit we discover the off ramp is closed. We get a big orange sign that says, “No, you can’t go this way. Try a different route.” Don’t you hate that? It’s not what we want. It’s not what we expected. Hey, we can look forward to a whole new set of experiences, right? But when do we think of the positive?

How do you react? Usually we get angry, maybe depressed, sad, confused. Sometimes we feel self pity. We might throw things or yell at people that don’t deserve to be yelled at.

Have you ever tried prayer?

It really is amazing what prayer can do. You might surprise yourself with how calm it makes you feel. Next time you’re faced with a detour, close your eyes and pray. Sometimes we forget that God knows what’s best for us. We just don’t have all the evidence to see that God is right. And trust me, He always is.

My mother had to walk away from my step dad a couple years ago. It’s not what she wanted to do, but she had to. She was upset, depressed…maybe even mad at the world. But she didn’t have all the evidence. A year later, a man a million times better came into her life and has made her a happy woman. It’s happened to me and I’ve seen it happen to others as well; and not only with love, but with careers, moving to new locations, and friendships.

We never have all the evidence. We can never look into the future and see that the detour is the better route. It doesn’t lead to a different place…it’s just different scenery along the way. God will make sure we get to where we need to be. The next time you’re faced with a detour, I encourage you to stop and pray. Pray for understanding, strength and patience. And remember what God said in Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” I promise you the future will be much brighter when God leads us there. Plus, we can always listen to a few more songs along the way.