Th Road Well-Traveled
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...You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.
– Joshua 23:14
“But this I have learned, we can trust Him.”
These were the simple words beloved Christian author, Catherine Marshall chose to end one of her last published books, Meeting God at Every Turn. Hold that thought.
As I made my way up the mountain to a recent writers conference, my eyes darted back-and-forth between the road and my GPS. Though I knew where I was headed, construction had confused my usual route and there were great stretches of my journey that felt unfamiliar.
With every unexpected detour, I gripped the steering wheel tighter and pressed on. My two-and-a-half-hour journey became a lesson in staying the course despite my comfort level.
The drive home was less stressful. That big red barn in the open field? Oh, yes! I remember passing that. And the billboard flashing the smile of a friendly green lizard? I remember that as well. The confusing detour around Exit 162 now made total sense. One by one the unfamiliarities that unnerved me on my trip up the mountain offered welcome reassurance that I was headed in the right direction on my way down.
While there are many spiritual disciplines that lead to a greater trust in God, recounting the road markers of God’s faithfulness tops the list.
Joshua knew this. In the Old Testament book that bears his name, Joshua, the man God chose to follow Moses and lead the Israelites into the promised land of Canaan, closes his book in much the same way Catherine Marshall did. In chapters 23 and 24, Joshua makes a long speech to the children of Israel recalling God’s faithfulness at every turn of their journey.
Rehearsing God’s faithfulness as a daily act of worship not only brings glory to your Heavenly Father but also carves a deep knowing into your spirit. It bears witness of God’s undeniable track record of grace and mercy that time and again has carried you up and over every mountain.
The obstacles we face in life are not unrelated events to be endured and dismissed. The answered prayers for God’s intervention during these difficult times are the touchstones with which we pave the road of trust that carries us back and forth to Jesus.
With the smallest thought or the greatest petition, imagine traveling this road of trust so frequently that your spirit knows the way no matter how bright the day or dark the night. Imagine the peace that comes with not having to reinvent the wheel or grip it tighter each time you find yourself in unfamiliar territory. This is the way your life in Christ is meant to be lived.
But it does take discipline. It takes continually rehearsing God’s faithfulness until that knowing becomes engrained in your soul and traveling that hopeful road becomes a habit. It is then you can declare with certainty, along with the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before you:
“But this I have learned, we can trust Him.”
Questions for Reflection:
1. Do you keep a prayer journal that chronicles your prayers and God’s answers? If not, consider starting one. It will serve as an encouraging road map through unfamiliar territory.
2. Tell your stories of God’s faithfulness to anyone who will listen. 1 Peter 3:15 encourages us to always be ready to give an account of the hope that is in us. This will strengthen your trust in God as well as theirs.
