January 4, 2026

It is a source of joy to know God strides ahead of us, moving obstacles, performing miracles, clearing the path so we can follow His plan for our lives. The problems arise when we jump off the path, either left or right, and follow our own desires. There we stumble into the brambles, the pitfalls and the traps. Follow God. Avoid the dreaded delays and walls.

For nonbelievers, the idea there is a God who loves us, watches over us and moves obstacles out of our way is pretty far-fetched. For those of us not born into a Christian home, those who did not grow up going to church, we may remember a time when we did not trust such a God ourselves. Once we surrender our hearts to follow Jesus, once we believe in the Bible, hear the testimonies of miracles, healings and changed lives, we believe our God is absolutely that involved in our lives. When things get hard, when challenges seem to threaten everything we think God has called us to do, we can be tempted to substitute our own ideas and choose a path that can lead us away from our destiny call. The obstacles we face are often as important as the goal we’ve been called to achieve.

Prayer

Lord, I know it isn’t always easy to achieve what You have called me to do. When nothing goes right, when I hit a wall, I start thinking perhaps I have not heard You correctly so I wonder if I should just start over. Lord, help me believe I hear you perfectly, that it is not just me thinking things for You. God I trust You. It is me I do not always trust. Help me stay on the path where You have placed me and help me accomplish all the things You have called me to do in this life. May I be acutely attuned to Your voice, obeying every touch, every prayer You request and always wanting to do Your will instead of my own.

“ You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This[a] is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:20 NLT