What Lies Ahead

Recently I had a moment with my students to talk about life plans- the changes, regrets, and lessons learned. In reflection I realized that apart from my walk with God, nothing about my life at present was ever part of my ‘vision board’. Not where I lived, where I work, what I do for a living, my current family status etc. – nothing was ever part of my dreams or plans. Yet here I am – exactly where I am supposed to be. More importantly, I am at peace with this season of my life. Why? I trust the One who pens my life story.

What lies ahead? No person truly knows. It’s okay to not have it all figured out. No one really does. We plan and that’s okay too. It’s the responsible thing to do. However, be cautioned: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” [ Proverbs 19:21] Be open to change and the twists and turns of life.

There are roads for us to travel, people to meet, mountains to climb and rivers to cross that we may have not yet imagined or perceived. Somethings are so much bigger than us, our minds can’t even conceive it. There is a path ahead carved out for each of us. Where the road leads – only God knows. So we simply trust.

Ever so often we hold tightly to things and people. In an instant, things can change . So much so, we are left in a tailspin. We turn the pages of our lives and face the painful reality that people and things we love dearly are not there in the next chapter. It hurts in unimaginable ways. Nonetheless, life goes on. Sometimes, like Job – ‘the thing we fear the most comes upon us’ [Job 3:25]. Things hit us like a ton of bricks; we feel so unprepared. How can one be prepared for what one does not expect? That’s a question worth asking. So we simply trust.

So what lies ahead? I don’t know. I wish I had a better answer. What I do know is I cannot and will not allow fear of the unknown to keep me crippled. Fear dims our light, torments, warps our perception and stifles creativity. We cannot flourish in a healthy way from a place of fear. His word reminds us that He did not give us that spirit. And so – we simply trust the Omniscient One who walked that road before. He knows what lies ahead.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life. [Psalm 143:8]

***Thanks for reading – Simply Trust.