In Joshua 1:7 God says, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, TURNING EITHER TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT. Then you will be successful in all you do.”
Going forward OR BACKWARDS is fine, anywhere you travel along your journey from there to here is without problem, but don’t turn off the path.
Sometimes, actually often, He draws us forward toward Him and we start out gladly based on the truth of Him we have. He is faithful, orders my steps, cares, etc. But then we get someplace on the journey where we are asked to walk forward into uncharted territories. We/I become fearful and doubt. I can’t go forward. I don’t know enough truth to take another step. So like Abram, I retreat to a familiar place, Bethel,the House of God. I return to an altar I had built in worship to Him previously where He had shown me something amazing about His character or care. I retreat to a place where I know a truth about Him. I return, backtrack to the shelter of His wing. He gladly meets me there.
Do you see the beauty? We are never chastised for retreating to a safe place with Him. We may make a rut in that part of our journey, going forward and retreating because we are afraid, insecure, doubting. All that is OK. He invites us to return – “in returning and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
It’s OK to step up to the giants in your life and retreat.
Don’t turn aside, but continue – forward and back – until truth becomes so real that it takes you past this bend in your journey. No condemnation, no chastisement. Just God, holding you close as you get on the bike. You are good with His hand on the bike frame, but as He let’s go, you begin to doubt, perhaps fall or just stop and return to His stabilizing hand.
Yes, don’t turn to the right or left, another path. Trust the one you are one. If you are going forward, awesome, if you are returning to the last cairn you built to His character equally awesome. Trust His work in you.
Today, I am retreating and with open arms and unconditional love He embraces me, reminding me who He is and how able I am with Him to take that next step; but not until I’m ready.
Going forward OR BACKWARDS is fine, anywhere you travel along your journey from there to here is without problem, but don’t turn off the path.
Sometimes, actually often, He draws us forward toward Him and we start out gladly based on the truth of Him we have. He is faithful, orders my steps, cares, etc. But then we get someplace on the journey where we are asked to walk forward into uncharted territories. We/I become fearful and doubt. I can’t go forward. I don’t know enough truth to take another step. So like Abram, I retreat to a familiar place, Bethel,the House of God. I return to an altar I had built in worship to Him previously where He had shown me something amazing about His character or care. I retreat to a place where I know a truth about Him. I return, backtrack to the shelter of His wing. He gladly meets me there.
Do you see the beauty? We are never chastised for retreating to a safe place with Him. We may make a rut in that part of our journey, going forward and retreating because we are afraid, insecure, doubting. All that is OK. He invites us to return – “in returning and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
It’s OK to step up to the giants in your life and retreat.
Don’t turn aside, but continue – forward and back – until truth becomes so real that it takes you past this bend in your journey. No condemnation, no chastisement. Just God, holding you close as you get on the bike. You are good with His hand on the bike frame, but as He let’s go, you begin to doubt, perhaps fall or just stop and return to His stabilizing hand.
Yes, don’t turn to the right or left, another path. Trust the one you are one. If you are going forward, awesome, if you are returning to the last cairn you built to His character equally awesome. Trust His work in you.
Today, I am retreating and with open arms and unconditional love He embraces me, reminding me who He is and how able I am with Him to take that next step; but not until I’m ready.
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