Lord,
As I turn the page from one year to another, one decade to the next, there are many changes ahead. Some are known and some are unknown. A daughter leaving, a family changing, doors opening and closing before my eyes.
The evil one whispers all the things that can go wrong. My mind begins to wander down dark, twisting paths where shadows linger and fear lurks. There is so much I cannot control! What if I make the wrong choice? What if it doesn’t happen like I planned? What if they walk away from You? There are so many what ifs…
But then I hear Your voice, a quiet whisper.
“Do not fear, for I AM with you.”
Your Spirit blows a fresh breeze of truth, and the darkness scatters like thieves at dawn. You are with me!
I am not alone on this journey into the unknown. You go before me, shining Your Light onto the path ahead. I do not need to worry about the shadows; I will simply focus on the next step. Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. You will lead me, step by step.
I reach for Your hand.
I glance back at the past, the road that has brought me to where I stand. I now see only the blessings, the thread of Your Spirit woven intricately through each hill and valley, guiding me onward, closer to You. I stare in wonder at what You’ve made out of all my wrong turns and attempted short cuts. The dark times are still there, but as they blend into the design of Your tapestry, they are transformed into something more, something greater, something deeper.
Something beautiful.
I breathe it in, and I am thankful.
You stand behind me, shield raised, blocking the arrows of regret and shame and missed opportunities and whatever else the evil one can muster. The “what ifs” and “if onlys” lie lifeless on the ground, slain by the only One with the authority to raise them up.
Yet, You do not.
You cast them away from me and nudge me forward, into the Light. This is the path You have chosen for me, and I will not choose another!
Slowly, I lift my eyes from this course I travel, and I turn my gaze to You.
I am reminded that You cannot be confined by our expectations or our calendar. You are eternal; the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. You exist outside the bounds of time as we know it, and nothing is hidden from You. Not my past, not my future, nothing! Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your Presence?
“My child, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
So, when I am consumed by the complexities of the moment,
or anxious of the days ahead,
or regretful of the years behind,
this truth brings me comfort.
You are the One who was, and is, and is to come!
My life is in Your hands.
Hey my friend, thanks for giving me a few days off with the Disney stuff! I kid, but seriously. 🙂 This is great word at a time I needed to hear it. We all battle against fear and uncertainty. Great reminder that He is with us.