The Longer Way

Anything we set out to do in life requires strength, will power, determination and we will do whatever is needed to succeed. If you look at professional athletes, you know they went through a lot to get to where they are at. When they were younger and realized what their dreams were, they had no idea what would be involved for them to make that dream come true. Imagine them being young and seeing the road to their dream before them. All the hours of physical training and self-sacrifice that would be required to meet their goals. Do you think they would still go for it at a young age? Perhaps for them it would have been better to not see the whole picture beforehand, because they might have quit pursuing their dreams.

In Exodus 13:17-18 Gods word tell us “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war they might change their minds and return to Egypt." So God lead the people around by the

desert road towards the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle."

God not only brought these people out from their bondage, but He did it the way He did to protect their hearts from turning away. God knew the quick and easy way would make them turn back because of what they would have seen. He had to lead them the longer way to keep them.

God is not only concerned with us doing our purpose- He’s also watchful of our hearts. We want the quick, and easy way, but sometimes that is not the best way in the long run. He has to lead us the longer way, because He knows what we can and cannot handle. When God reveals to us our purpose we want it right now. We think because we now know what it is, it should be immediately made available to us. We don’t think we need any preparation time. What if that happened? If everything we would have to face and go through to be in our full purpose was suddenly laid before us…perhaps we would deny the purpose. We might say to ourselves “Oh, that is just too much work and it involves a lot of struggles- I just can’t do it.” God already knows how our minds work- after all He did create us. He knows how we get overwhelmed and start thinking we just can’t do something. He then chooses at times, to take us the “longer way” for our protection and for the protection of His purpose to be fulfilled. In going the “longer way” we can get impatient and frustrated. We start to think, ‘Ok God I’m ready now- I’m really ready.” At the time we might truly believe that, but then something will happen and remind us were still not ready yet. Isaiah 52:12 says: “But you will not go out in haste, nor will you go as fugitives, for the lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your rearguard.”

God absolutely knows what we can and can’t handle so we just have trust Him in everything- even in the longer way. He will take us the longer way at times for our own benefit- to teach us- not to tease us. During that longer way, we need to be submitting to Him and allowing him to reveal to us what He wants from us. To allow Him to teach us so when we do ‘get’ there we’re prepared. Always remember God is about protecting His people and if going the longer way is the only way to do it He will, and you will be grateful for in the long run.