As I drove home, night had begun to settle with an added veil of heavy fog. When the fog suddenly lifted, I found myself off the road and headed toward a patch of trees. I quickly slammed on my brakes. The low-lying branches of a large pine tree scraped against the hood of my car like hands reaching out to warn me of the ominous trunks just beyond. The dense fog had changed my perception: I had mistaken someone’s back porch-light for the streetlight I knew to be near the curve of the road.
Thankfully, God’s promise to guide us through life’s hard-to-see moments is true: “He will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left” (Isaiah 30:20-21). He doesn’t hesitate to give us specific direction. Why is it then that we sometimes find ourselves in the “trees”?
The problem isn’t with God’s directions. The breakdown occurs in the willingness of our hearts to attend to the wisdom He provides. Circumstances, selfish motives, and even pressure from others can easily settle on our lives—and our decisions—like a dense fog. Our ability to hear His voice is intrinsically tied to the position He has in our hearts (Isaiah 30:21-22), and if our hearts become tainted, our spiritual eyesight also becomes hindered (Ezekiel 12:2; Matthew 13:15-16).
Proverbs 23:26 declares, “O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.” God stands ready to answer the call of His people . . . if we will but love and seek Him as He leads us.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 3:12–4:4
More:
Read Mark 10:46-52 and consider this story in light of your own hunger not only for spiritual sight but also for an ongoing, living encounter with Jesus.
Next:
Recall a time when your ability to see circumstances clearly was hindered by your own thoughts or emotions. What did you learn from this experience? How can you seek God’s wisdom and direction today?
godlove on October 10, 2016 at 3:43 am
I guess it happens to most of us, there’s always that one time when we let circumstances (and people around us) to push us to take matters into our own hands and make decisions without first trusting God for His guidance. And then when things go wrong (like they would usually do when we fail to seek Him), we come scrambling back to GOD for His help to get us out of the “trees”. But praise GOD for His loving kindness and infinite patience with man, that despite the fact we might initially ignore Him, He still waits, ready to rescue us when we eventually come around and return to Him with a contrite heart. I quite liked the analogy in the “More” section; like Bartimaeus who confidently sought physical eye sight from Jesus, may we always sincerely and faithfully seek for spriritual sight from our Lord and allow GOD to lead us at all times. Thanks for this important reminder Regina. Blessed week to all.
Regina Franklin on October 10, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Dear Godlove–I appreciate what you have pointed out–when we miss the mark, God is patient and willing to restore us. I love the passage in Jeremiah 29:11-13, not because it has been much used but because its true context is one of calling the people to repentance. When we get side-tracked, He is willing to restore, not just us but the plans He has for us.
Gary Shultz on October 10, 2016 at 6:28 am
This is so good Regina, it is the practical stuff we live with all of the time. It must in turn emphasize our need to be vigilant and to be current in our walk. We must be careful to adjust our course on the way we must go, the path of God’s choosing, not be lured or distracted by other lights or deceptions. We must continually examine ourselves and as you say, we must see our teacher with our own eyes, and hear His instruction. Thanks Regina
Regina Franklin on October 10, 2016 at 8:02 pm
Dear Gary–I love what you have emphasized–that “We must continually examine ourselves.” The adjustment is a consistent response to the voice of the Holy Spirit, not because we fear making the wrong decisions, but because we want to be in continual communion with His heart.
gagirllive on October 10, 2016 at 7:25 am
Amen, Regina. The dense fog does change our perception. Literally and figuratively, it can be so frightening to navigate through those foggy patches when our vision has been obscured. When this occurs spiritually in my life, one of the first things I ask myself is, “Where is my heart?” Matthew 5: 8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” I always lose my perception and my perspective when my heart has wandered from its first love, the Lord Jesus Christ. Sin, unconfessed and unrepentant, leads me into the “fog”, and subsequently, “trees”, and my way out of both is when God has my heart again. There are also times when I lose a clear view because—not as a result of anything I’ve done—I just hit a foggy patch in life. In times like this, I cling to Jesus and remember that He is in the midst (and mist 🙂 ) and will either lift the fog or guide me out of it. My counsel in these times are verses like Proverbs 3: 5,6—“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Keeping my confidence in Christ and His love, wisdom, and power may not always keep me out of the fog of life, but it will definitely keep me out of the “trees”. When He is my Vision, all is clear. Thank you for this insightful devotional, Regina. (And I know all about those Georgia pines and back porch lights. 🙂 ) Stay safe. Grace and peace to all today.
Regina Franklin on October 10, 2016 at 8:03 pm
Thank you, Gagirllive! Yes, you know exactly what I am talking about–and all of the red clay and cicadas to match!
youssef1777 on October 10, 2016 at 7:34 am
SOME TIME IS VERY HARD TO FOLLOW GOD WAY IN THIS DAYS . BUT BY FAITH ,PRAY AND TRUST IN HIS WORD . WE CAN OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM . WE HAVE TO KEEP IN OUR MIND THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL ALL TIME . HE WILL REWARD US IN KEEP GOING IN HIS WAY .
Regina Franklin on October 10, 2016 at 8:03 pm
I agree, Youssef1777–praying the Lord brings others alongside as you seek to follow the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Tom Felten on October 10, 2016 at 8:12 am
Regina, I’m reminded of what Paul wrote, “We live by believing and not by seeing.” Faith can help us make our through the fog of this world—even when it threatens to obscure our vision of what is right and true.
sim jing ying on October 10, 2016 at 11:14 am
I learned God will always guide me as I pray for His wisdom every morning. By hiding God’s words in our words may prove useful when the enemy comes and be sure to put on the breastplate and helmet of God by praying and reading the Bible consistently everyday in quiet devotion to God.
Regina Franklin on October 10, 2016 at 7:58 pm
Good word, Tom. It reminds of what Paul wrote about Abraham, “And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead–and so was Sarah’s womb. 20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God” (Romans 4:19-20). When he had yet to see the promise, he remained focused by faith.
kauai143 on October 10, 2016 at 9:56 am
Thank you Regina. I go off the road and into the trees when I’m not in close relationship with Jesus. Bible study, prayer and obedience are vital to my life especially during trials. God Bless
Regina Franklin on October 10, 2016 at 7:55 pm
Thank you, Kaual143. Blessings to you, too!
minkjh on October 10, 2016 at 10:52 am
Regina’s closing scripture reference from Proverbs 23 establishes the starting point for us in our Christian walk. God’s formula begins with the receptiveness of our hearts toward him through our faith. Once we fully commit our hearts to his leading, then he will guide us along the path set before us. Not only in glorious mountaintop experiences, but especially when we traverse those deep, dark valleys we’re destined to encounter. Too often we reverse the model and allow the mind to plan the journey at the expense of the heart and wind up off the road. We can readily speak the mindset that we believe in God but do we have the ‘heartset’ that we believe God?
Regina Franklin on October 10, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Great word, Minkjh. I love what you have said about our mind “plan[ning] the journey at the expense of the heart.” I would also offer that sometimes our emotions have the same power to lead us astray. Thankfully, the Spirit is at work transforming not only our minds but also rewriting our desires to reflect the heart of God.
sim jing ying on October 10, 2016 at 11:15 am
I learned God will always guide me as I pray for His wisdom every morning. By hiding God’s words in our words may prove useful when the enemy comes and be sure to put on the breastplate and helmet of God by praying and reading the Bible consistently everyday in quiet devotion to God.
Regina Franklin on October 10, 2016 at 7:50 pm
Sim Jing Ying–you have mentioned a powerful point. When we are faithful to study the Word, the Holy Spirit uses it not only to instruct us on a daily basis, but especially in times when we need it in a spiritual battle.
jef on October 10, 2016 at 11:18 am
Amen! When you don’t know what to do don’t do it. In the same vein after being bathed by the water of the word you can (James 1:22-24) as the spirit leads and guides.
Regina Franklin on October 10, 2016 at 7:46 pm
Great point, Jef–it is both the power of the Word moving in conjunction with the Holy Spirit at work in us that leads us into the plans God has for us.