He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3(b)
There are times in our lives where we feel as if we simply do not know which direction we should take. Sometimes that’s in a literal sense, when we are out walking or driving. At other times, it can be more of a metaphorical direction; where should we be heading with our lives? I’m in just such a spot at the moment, having resigned from my job, but not having another job to go to. The need to earn money to support myself is a pressing issue – I have to get a job to make money to survive – but this is even more true now since I am getting married this summer, and will have a wife to look after too. The temptation is to start panicking; I don’t know where I’m going! What should I do?!?
I’ve been trying not to panic, however, and this verse is just one of the verses that has encouraged me recently. We might feel uncertain of the direction our lives should be heading in, but God our Father does. He has a way marked out for us, a path that will be pleasing, and that will best serve his and our needs. When we feel lost, we just need to trust that God knows what he is doing, trust that he will lead us, and pray that he will guide us.
If we let God guide us, that worry that inhabits us about whether we are doing the right thing will diminish, because we can rely on God’s encouragement. We can also draw comfort from the fact that the paths that he leads us down are “paths of righteousness,” paths that will help us to shape our lives to be more like Jesus. By following the paths that God has marked out for us, we will be blessed. And, when the time comes, that path will lead us to God’s eternal kingdom.
If you’re feeling lost, pray today that God will guide you along those paths of righteousness. If you think you know the way, pray anyway that God will reassure you, and continue to lead you along his paths. And pray that, one day, when the time comes, those paths will lead us to heaven.