The Unexpected Route

Have you ever looked around and wished you were in a different stage of life? I know there have been times when I have. In your heart, you know there are some things that God has promised you, but the road you’re on to get there is far from the path you would’ve charted for yourself.

One step forward. Only to feel like you’re taking three steps back.

Maybe it’s:

• The promise of going from Ms. to Mrs.
• The offer letter for a new job.
• Your business to finally take off.

Whatever it might be, I know those times in the wilderness can be- Down. Right. Frustrating.

In Exodus 13, we find something that might help shed light on these seemingly frustrating times.

As we read through the chapter, we find the children of Israel on the cusp of an amazing miracle. After 430 years of slavery under Pharaoh, they were finally free! And that’s when something interesting happens:

When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that ran through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. (Exodus 13:17-18)

Did you catch that?

God intentionally led them in a roundabout way.

As I read that, I thought to myself, wouldn’t it make sense to take the shortest route? After all, they had just come out from enduring years of harsh treatment, so I’d assume that God would want to bring them to something special as quickly as possible.

But we know Who knows better right?

Maybe we’re not in the place we “think” we should be because, just like the children of Israel, if we saw what was ahead, we might want to go back to the very places God delivered us from. Could it be that our unexpected route, is the training ground to prepare us for other difficult encounters we might face? To equip us with the things of the Spirit so that we can face the fight God’s way? Remember we’re not fighting “against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens”(Ephesians 6:12). Or perhaps our unexpected routes are for internal work of the heart. As Deuteronomy 8:28 says to “humble and test you- to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.”

As hard as it can be, our Father always knows best and that applies to those times of life when we’re on a path we didn’t expect.

The path to the promise isn’t always perfect, but we will get there by trusting the path laid out for us by the Lord.

Lekeisha Maldon

My prayer is that you know you’re not alone in your journey and that your heart is encouraged to remember God will always remain faithful to His promises (Hebrews 10:24), no matter what way He chooses to get us there!

In His Service,