April 22, 2020
Why Did You Lead Me Here, God?
ABBY MCDONALD
Lee en español
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)
I expected confirmation that we’d made the right decision. But as soon as we took the step of faith, we faced roadblocks.
My husband and I were in the midst of our second cross-country move. We had prayed about this move for months and sought counsel from other believers before moving forward. We asked God to open the door if He wanted my husband to take this job. And God did. But when we walked through it, we hit a wall.
First, our home wouldn’t sell. Then, due to a miscommunication, we didn’t receive temporary housing and lived in my in-laws’ basement for months. Although we were grateful for a place to live, the hour-and-a-half long commute wore on my husband. When we discovered our second child was on the way, the necessity to find a place to live became crucial. But despite our best efforts, we didn’t have a house.
What do we do when we think God is leading us in a certain direction, but we’re stopped in our tracks? How do we continue to act on faith when the path is uncertain? During those months in the basement, I wondered if we had heard God correctly. Things sure weren’t working out the way I thought they would.
But even in my doubt, God was working. He was there, but to see Him, I had to shift my focus. Instead of looking at the detours, I had to focus on the unchanging attributes of God.
In time, I realized that struggle doesn’t mean God is absent. It means He’s working. His faithfulness isn’t dependent on our receiving a specific answer. Faithful is who He is.
Often, I think obedience results in everything going according to my plan. I’m laser-focused on getting from point A to point B, and I miss what God is already doing. And while God wants to give us an abundant life, it may look different than we envision.
In Isaiah 43:19, the Lord says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Do you notice the word “new” there? It means unlike “anything we predict.” God has cleared the path for us. He’s prepared the way, just as He prepared the way for the Israelites who were in exile. The problem is, we tend to see only one way to get to the next point in the journey.
But God sees the entire trajectory of our lives. He sees not only the obstacles of today but also the road that will lead to victory. He sees the needs we overlook because He’s a good Father.
Eventually, I saw that God was providing stability for my firstborn during those months at my in-laws. After a huge transition, he needed familiarity. In my focus on finding a home, I missed it. But God knew. He saw each detail, and when the time was right, we acquired renters for our old home. We also found a place to live near my husband’s job that was the perfect fit for our growing family.
Friends, when we come to God with our desires, we can approach Him with confidence. We may not see the answer right away, but we can be certain He’s working. The outcome may not look the way we anticipated. God’s abilities go beyond our imagination. But often, at the moment we least expect it, we’ll see Him move.
Father, thank You for seeing each and every one of our needs, even when we doubt. Open our eyes to see the ways You are working when things don’t go according to our plan. We know You are a trailblazer, and our struggle is the fertile ground You use to do Your mightiest work. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES:
If we want to see God in the midst of our struggles, we must change the way we look for Him. Abby McDonald’s new book, Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God, empowers readers with biblical truths and practical steps to see God working in their lives.
CONNECT:
For more encouragement to live a life of faith even when our steps are shaky, visit Abby’s blog, where you can sign up to receive a free copy of her e-book, The Daughter’s Manifesto.
Enter to WIN your very own copy of Shift by Abby McDonald. To celebrate this book, Leafwood Publishers will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify each one in the comments section by Monday, April 27, 2020.}
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
Is there an area of your life where you prayed for God’s leading, but things didn’t turn out the way you expected? Reflect on times when He’s been faithful, and ways He’s delivered you in the past.
© 2020 by Abby McDonald. All rights reserved.
Abby McDonald is a writer, speaker, wife and mom whose passion is to empower women to grow in faith and hope, even when life is messy. When she's not reading or writing, you can find her wrangling her three kids and black lab while drinking copious amounts of coffee. Abby lives with her husband and three children in western Maryland. You can connect with her at abbymcdonald.org.
Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Leafwood Publishers for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.
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