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A Closer Walk

 

A CLOSER WALK
Greg Worthen
Sometimes the Lord makes the decision for us. Sometimes things happen whereby a decision is made for us, with no input from us, or no prayer being offered about that decision. A health issue arises which makes it impossible for us to continue doing what we have been doing. An injury either on or off the job may render us unable to continue performing the job we've had. Or perhaps our employer decides to downsize, and that downsizing includes us. Sometimes our Lord makes the decision for us. "The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps," Proverbs 16:9 NASB.
When our path is suddenly and unexpectedly changed, we then have the responsibility of figuring out what is next. Where do we go from here? What do we do now? The person with the health issue has to work on taking care of themselves, then they can try to come up with their what's next. The person with the injury might need to go through physical therapy and learn what they are now going to be capable of doing. The person who was downsized may want to do some heart searching to see if they might want or need a career change, or if they want to try to stay in the same or a similar field. But we should remind ourselves that we have arrived at this point in our lives because our Lord made the decision for us. He allowed, or caused, our course to be changed and put us on a different path than we had been previously.
So, then where do we go from here? First we would want to consult our God in prayer and ask what He desires of us. "Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know," Jeremiah 33:3 NASB. Our Lord had His reasons for making this decision for us. And while He may never share those reasons with us, we do know that any field can be a mission field. If we go to work in a different facility we now have an entirely new and different group of people to witness to and minister to. Besides, after working in the same place for twenty, twenty-five, even thirty years a change might be good for us. Give us a new perspective, a new outlook, as well as a new challenge.
If our Lord changed our direction, we can be certain that He had our best in His heart. "...but just as it is written, 'Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him','" 1 Corinthians 2:9 NASB. And further, "...for He Himself has said 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,' so that we confidently say, 'The Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?'" Hebrews 13:5-6 NASB. The Lord God has things for us we haven't even dreamed about. He also promises that He will never desert us, nor will He ever forsake us.
If He changed our course, our path, then He is already present in the new direction. His love for us is demonstrated by His involvement in our lives. Our God is a busy God. Seven billion or so people to look after and provide for, you see. The fact He would take the time to involve Himself in our lives personally, is an indication of the depths of His love, care, and concern for us. Our response ought to be gratitude and thankfulness.
So sometimes our God makes the decision for us. We had no input into this decision. We had no opportunity to pray about this decision. Nevertheless, the decision was made. Now we don't have to agonize or have anxiety over that decision. We simply answer the question, “What's next?”
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God,” Philippians 4:6 NASB.

 

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