I blog, I journal, and I write in a word document that may someday become a book.  Overall, I just feel God saying sometimes “write”. So this morning I wanted to share a journal entry that I wrote after reading Exodus:

“I’ve heard many people want God to clearly tell them the direction of their life.  They want a roadmap, and they want to audibly hear the voice of God. There have been many times when I’ve also sought this clear direction or movement from God – only to find that God’s silence meant I was supposed to stay put.  How confusing it can be.

In the exodus, the people were following a cloud of God into the wilderness.  They had just been delivered from oppression, and God was actively leading them to freedom.  Along the way they saw signs and miracles unlike any I’ve ever seen.  When they didn’t have food, it literally fell from the sky.  When the Egyptians were after them, God parted a sea to protect them.  Shortly after each movement of God they praised God, but then quickly forgot and complained to God asking, “Why did you bring us here?”

I’m starting to think it is a gift to not know where I am going or where God is taking me.  I can’t get overwhelmed by the series of events up ahead.  I can be prepared and molded by God a little each day, until I’m more stable and mature to handle what lies ahead.  I can take the blows life brings as they come, allowing me to celebrate in moments without knowing trouble is around the corner.

Although I may not have a cloud in front of me to guide me – I have the assurance that God is always faithful.  I pray that I would be more like Moses – reminding myself and others that God hasn’t abandoned me when I don’t understand his direction.

I also praise God that the direction he gives is graceful direction.  I can never make a wrong turn, he is pursuing me at every place.  He is actively guiding, forgiving, and then guiding me again.  He is uniquely capable of using my wrong turns for the plans he has for me ahead.

The scriptures sum this up better than I could ever:  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11”.