Consistent and Patient
There is an interesting similarity between folks around the New Year and folks working through sobriety. The shared thing is a sense of newness or starting over. The chance to make a plan, follow a dream, do life better and have a goal. Another similarity is the realization of just how difficult these new plans and goals are to stick to. Which can quickly lead into discouragement and a self imposed feeling of failure.
I am by nature a dreamer. I also struggle with following through on the list of dreams, ideas and plans that I have rolling around in my mind. This often leads me to what I refer to as “feeling stuck”. And if I am not careful this can lead to a great deal of negative self talk.
The story of Moses leading God’s people out of slavery and into freedom has always resonated with me and the struggles to overcome addiction. Liberation and newly acquired freedom is marvelous. It’s the living it all out that is sometimes very difficult.
So, how do we handle life when things don’t go as easy and orderly as we would like? How do we handle relationship repair, work not going as quickly as we think it should? What if the career option staring right at us looks like the perfect fit, but it doesn’t work out?
When Pharaoh finally let Moses and the people go, God didn’t lead them in the easiest direction. The road through the Philistine folks was the most direct and logical route, but God led His beloved people down a looping, wilderness road. You might say it was the long way.
The why behind God’s leading is made clear in Exodus 13:17-18. Here we catch a glimpse of God’s wisdom and protecting hand. God said if His people go the easy way, the first time a battle or struggle comes their way they will want to run right back to the bondage of Egypt. By taking the longer route, the God-led route, the people were kept safe. They were protected from themselves and poor choices.
In Paul’s letter to the Christians living in Rome, he reminds us of this same idea. We can be sure that every detail of our lives, as we are pursuing Jesus, is going to be worked out into something good (Romans 8:26-28). I will go so far as saying the absolute best for us will come as we pursue Jesus.
We have to be consistent and patient as we move along. A life of recovery and sobriety is not always easy, but it is always rewarding. Sometimes the path we are on may be slower than we’d like. It could even be taking us in a direction that we had not planned, but if God is guiding us we can be assured that the best is coming.