3/2/25
Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
We are all children of God. We are each a unique creation, with an individual path. We have our own unique lessons to learn, have our own strengths, talents, and calling from God. We are all in this together, yet at the same time separately. We can help each other, support each other, but we each face our own challenges to learn, grow, and transform into all that God wants us to be. But my lessons are not your lessons. Your path is not my path. We are tasked to help and love others along their way while maintaining our focus and balance on our own path.
This is not easy to do. It is easy to focus so much on others that we forget where we are going. At other times we are so focused on our next steps that we ignore everyone around us. This is normal as we make our way in this physical world. We just need to be aware of what we are doing and where we are going at this moment.
“Where are you going?” This is a question we ask ourselves at times. It is a question we ask of Christ at times. “My beloved Christ, where are you going, where are we going? Where are you guiding me to go?” We may not always know precisely where we are going, but one thing is true, we are not going there alone.
God is always with us. Christ is always by our side, walking with us, talking with us, guiding us, protecting us from the harms of our actions. Yes, we have lessons and challenges, which will seem like hurtful things. But most of them are there to raise our awareness. There are lessons behind many of the hurts and inconveniences we experience. Some of them are simply consequences for our dumbness. But even then, God has given us wisdom so that we can learn from those results and can change our behaviors and thought patterns, so they do not happen again.
Most of us have been out walking in nature and suddenly we feel a pebble or something irritating our heel or toe. Perhaps we address it immediately, because most of us do not like discomfort. So, we stop, take off our shoe, and shake out whatever is in there. Sometimes the tiniest little piece of grit falls out. It looks so small, but it is big enough to cause us pain, and to change our behavior.
Those pebbles in our shoes, those irritating distractions, are sometimes God trying to get our attention. At other times they are going to be the world trying to distract us from the good we are doing. Sometimes it is the ego attempting to change our course. And sometimes it is something we have put in there ourselves. It is a goal, a vision, something that challenges us to follow the correct path and serves as a reminder to follow Christ. This Divine Discontent appears throughout our lives. We do not always know what the cause is until we examine it – take our shoe off and see what is in there.
This is our journey in life. It is not always comfortable, and it takes faith, courage, the transformative power of following Christ, and God’s love.
Our spiritual journey often begins with a simple question: “Where are you going?" This echoes the disciples' curiosity when they first encountered Jesus. As we seek to follow Christ, we must ask ourselves if we are ready to embark on this life-changing journey.
The Bible tells us in Matthew 4:19, “And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” Just as Jesus called his disciples, he calls us today to follow him, to leave behind our old lives and embrace a new path.
And following Christ takes courage. Sometimes we have to dare ourselves to follow the path we know has been written on our hearts. We may feel unprepared or unworthy, but we must challenge ourselves to step out in faith, dare ourselves to do what is right, and keep our thoughts aligned with Spirit. Isaiah 41:10 encourages us, “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 uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
As we traverse this earth, God will send us the right and perfect people for us at the right and perfect times. Some will stay, and some will be in our lives for only a short while. Ours is not to judge, but to accept whatever their gift to us is with love. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 tells us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”
A pebble in our shoe is a powerful metaphor representing the challenges and distractions that we face while on our spiritual path. It is not always comfortable, but these trials help us grow stronger in our faith, whether we put them there or someone else. James 1:2-4 teaches us, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
As we walk in the Light of God, side by side with Christ, we are transformed. The time comes when we no longer need a pebble in our shoes to stand firm in the love, peace, and joy of Spirit. When we are ready spiritually, we no longer need a distraction or dare to follow the path we know is true. This is when we are fully committed to Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Our journey with Christ changes us fundamentally, preparing us for a life of service and love.
As alone as we may feel at times, our journey in life is not a solo hike; we are always with Christ, always surrounded in the power of God’s love and unwavering support. Spirit stands with us through all circumstances, reflecting a divine and true loyalty in friendship. Romans 8:38-39 tells us, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Christ’s friendship increases our sense of comfort, trust, and security despite our challenges. As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “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.”
Our relationship with Christ contributes to our personal, emotional, and spiritual development. Romans 5:3-4 teaches, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”
No, we are not alone. God is here, now and always. Deuteronomy 31:6 commands, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” It is my prayer that we let the lessons of walking our life journey inspire us to be more. May we have the courage to follow Christ, the perseverance to overcome challenges, the openness to be transformed, and the joy of walking together in faith. I pray that we take Christ's hand and be glad that he is here by our side.
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