Standing at the Crossroads. Which way do I go?

Are you or have you ever been standing at the crossroads of a life decision wondering what God’s will for you in this choice happened to be? Does God want you to go left or right or keep going in the same direction? Sometimes the will of God in our lives is clear, but more often than not it is not nearly as obvious.

Consider Abram. He was a man of God who loved Him and trusted Him with his life and all his heart. One day the Lord told Abram to go to the land the Lord had promised him. Where was this land? Abram didn’t really know. God had not sent a map; He only said “Go!”, and Abram went.

I wonder which direction Abram went when he left his house. Did He turn right or left? When he came to another crossroad down the way, what was his method for determining his course? How was he supposed to find a place he had never seen nor had he even been told where it is?

The one thing we know about Abram is that he is the father of faith in God. The three largest religions in the world today consider Abram (later known as Abraham) as one of their patriarchs. The thing about Abram is that he really did trust God.

He didn’t just say he trusted God. He didn’t just go through the motions and give lip service to his faith. He lived out his faith every day so that when God told him to leave his family and his land, he left.

Again, I wonder which direction he went when he left his house.

It didn’t matter which direction Abram went. It was the right direction because He was trusting in God.

God promises us something special when we come to the crossroads of our lives. What he requires of us is faith in Him. Then, when that faith is in place, He promises us that whichever road we take He will bless. Romans 8:28 assures us that any of the decisions we make will turn out for the good when our faith is in the Almighty God.

When I get to that point in my life, then the decisions become much less stressful. The “what ifs” go away because I can now trust that God will take care of me as He promised he would. It may be that you are at a crossroads because the blessings coming your way are many. You aren’t choosing what blessings will be the greatest for you down that road. What you are deciding is where can I go and serve God and glorify Him? With that attitude, He’s going to bless you whatever you choose.

That’s one of the most magnificent aspects to Jehovah, God. He gives us free-will choice. He doesn’t force us down a path or decision. He loves us and helps us down whatever road we choose.

In the light of this we have a great freedom in Christ. That freedom allows us to make any decision we choose because our lives are focused on glorifying God regardless of the outcome. We are focused on trusting no matter the decision.

What if my whole world falls apart when I make this decision? It doesn’t matter. Everything in this world is temporary. God has promised to never leave or forsake you. He has promised to help you through. He has promised to grow you as you face those things. Was it easy for Abram to leave? No. Was Abram scared? Yes. But he persevered and God blessed him.

May you have the mind that trusts God in your decisions. May you be constantly in prayer about the plans God has for you, and may you rejoice that your God loves you enough to bless you regardless of your choices. What a great God we have!

This year make a commitment to not hesitate in making the tough choices. Trust God, and allow Him to guide you even in the confusing times. As always, if there is anything I can do for you or pray with you about feel free to contact me at 979-245-1611 or at jddobbs@verizon.net. God bless you!

If If’s and But’s Were Candy and Nuts…

When I was growing up my mother had this saying that really annoyed me: If if’s and but’s were candy and nuts we’d all have a merry Christmas.

Back then I kind of understood it, but now I have a great appreciation for this saying.

Are you the kind of person who says, from time to time, “if only…”? What good does that do? When I was younger this was a popular habit of mine. I would beat myself up with the what if’s and tear myself down with the if only’s. These did me no good. They only made me feel worse.

So what about you? Do you have a past relationship that you’ve often wondered about? If only… Have you lost a job you loved, and you wonder “what if…”?

I find that when I have the mindset that regrets things not done that could have been then I am a miserable soul indeed. I even begin to go into conversations worried about having the right words or doing the right things to make everything go smoothly. I want the best from each moment of life, but the more I struggle to try to make each moment the best myself the more frustrated I am with the minute details of the moment that didn’t go right.

I am a big fan of the movie “The Matrix”, and I have seen all three of them multiple times. I’m not as big a fan of the second and third installments, but in the second movie there is a scene in which the trio that is out to save the world has a conversation that doesn’t go as they expected. One of them begins to complain about the situation when the character that is more prophet-like stops her and reminds her that it couldn’t have happened any other way, but there must be a reason for it to be that way.

When I saw this it reminded me of what Jesus said in Matthew 6. “Do not worry.” If I remember that God is always in control, then I can have much more peace in each situation. God has promised us to turn every situation out for the good of those who love God (Romans 8:28). If I trust in that promise then I know that as long as I have surrendered my life to Him then whatever I put my hand to will turn out the way it was intended.

If I have prayed over a situation or conversation before I meet, then I can have peace that God will direct my words and actions. Even when I feel like things didn’t go as well as expected, I can trust that God used whatever was said or done to enhance the situation of all involved.

What this does is grant much more freedom. I no longer have to worry about how things are going to go. I don’t have to have regrets from the past. The things that happened happened and the things that will happen will happen. I am not in control. God is!

This also has great implications on whether or not I share the message of Jesus with others. When I am worried what they will think or whether or not I will have the right words, then I hesitate and often do not do the things which are necessary for their salvation. But when I surrender myself to God and His will, then it doesn’t matter whether or not I have the right worlds. All that matters is that I love the other person and try. God will give the blessing.

It is my prayer that you can be freed from a life of regret. May you stop saying the “what ifs” and the “if onlys”. May your life be fuller because of a lack of worry, and may you trust that God will certainly turn every situation out for your good.

If there is anything I can do for you or pray with you about, feel free to contact me at 245-1611 or via email at jddobbs@verizon.net. God bless you as you live in His freedom!