Well, I'm sitting in the Charlotte airport for a couple MORE hours because I missed my flight due to my forgetting to change my phone to the correct time zone. It lamely does not change on its own. ....It's a bit funny though, except for my poor parents who have to stay up in order to come and get me.
Late, late for a very important date. I'm flying to North Carolina for a few weeks. Amusingly enough (well, perhaps it's only humorous to me) it was this time last year I was moving from NC to Wisconsin - and now I'm flying from WI to NC. Boing, boing - back and forth I go. One year ago.... My, my how much changes in a year. At the risk of coming off as emotional and dramatic, these past several months I firmly believe have transformed me from a girl into a woman. So be it, if it's a bit late for this to be occurring, it has happened and I am more than aware of its bumpy dirt roads, high and low valleys, rain clouds and sunshine. While my quarter life crisis has not yet resolved itself, I have found a bit more of who I am. Or rather, who God declares I am. My learning has not been without mistake, however I pray and hope both my triumphs and trials have ended with humility as my crown.
I've been thinking to myself, "What was my greatest lesson learned?" My conclusion: Life, in my eyes, does not make sense. Plans don't always come to pass, no matter how organized and well-thought out they are; people put on masks sometimes even the most trained eye cannot see past; what you think is sensible is not always what God knows to be best.
The miracle of the Red Sea fills my thoughts often. There was a teaching at my church recently about "enjoying the process". This meaning we should 'count it as joy' as we undergo difficult times and trials with the understanding we cannot simply suffer through the path that leads us through maturity, but we should endure with perseverance and enjoy the road that leads us there. Scott (the man who taught this) said something to the affect of "Everyone wants to see the Red Sea parted. However, no one wants to be chased by an army full of men with no logical place to go". The Israelites saw the miracle because they were placed in an impossible situation. We want the miracle without the circumstance that needs the supernatural solution. This revelation cut to the heart. Especially because God had spoken to me a couple of weeks earlier about the path the Israelites took to the Red Sea. You see, the quickest path from where they were to the Red Sea, was through the Philistine countryside. It would of been logical and on most accounts the "wise" thing to do for them to cut directly through the Philistine roads. God, being full of practical wisdom would of approved of the most time-efficient way, right? Well, no. God knew there was fighting going on in this area, and understood His children would become scared if they saw this. Rather than continue advancing towards the Red Sea, the Israelits would instead turn and run back to Egypt. Is God not able to protect them from these wars and fighting men? Why, of course He is. ...But He understood the condition of His children's hearts, and therefore led them through the wilderness to the Red Sea to protect them possible doubt and fear. I feel if I were in a conversation with the Lord discussing which path to take in this situation, I would of completely battled for the more time-efficient, productive and practical way. In my own pride and ignorance I would fail to recognize God's omniscience and chosen my own way instead of trusting God's knowledge.
Just because life can at times go against what I see as right or wisdom, does not mean what appears is always what is. We must firstly trust God, and be led by His Spirit - not by what we see. There are most certainly times where what we view as wisdom lines up with God's wisdom, but just as likely is our conclusion being the opposite of God's solution. What makes sense to me is not always correct. I must hear and ask God before I come to ANY conclusion in my mind. I cannot always see the war taking place on the path I desire to walk, nor foresee the danger in my heart if I were to follow paths into these ware zones. I must trust - and because of this trust I must choose to follow. Trust, then follow.
Over and out.
