[i]The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 16: 9
I have often heard the phrase, “Nothing happens without a reason.” I believe there is precedent for such an idea in the Bible. Ideas formulate in our minds as to what we want to do and where we want to go, but we shouldn’t be surprised if we are redirected. This happens sometimes when we travel on either a short trip or on the long haul, both in where our mind or our car travels.
[ii]There may be several superficial reasons why plans are diverted, and we are redirected, often when we plan a little day trip. Perhaps redirection occurs because:
- A road may be blocked for reconstruction;
- An accident reroutes traffic;
- Conversation causes a missed turn off;
- Assumption that GPS in omniscient!
- New roads have been built since the last time you went wherever you were going;
- Mistaken route numbers;
- Wrong address;
- Assumption that where you are going is where you thought the place is, but it’s not;
- (or all of the above!)
What if the fundamental reason for re-routing is God’s providential plans for the time and place? Indeed! The Christian’s path is always directed, but we may never know the reason God reroutes us. I’ve heard stories of how one incident blocks some intention, and lives were saved because of a redirection.
We were out and about today to meet family at a restaurant some distance from home. We had a gorgeous spring day for the trip. With a clear sky, flowers bloomed in perfusion, corn popped through the ground in the fields, and traffic wasn’t terrible. So why did I, as the driver, end up three times on the wrong road when I sort of knew where we were headed? I had been there before. I had my GPS homed in to our destination, but …
I gabbed. I came to an exit and turned off the highway. Wrong. I had turned south when I should have headed east. Once we got back on the right road, we would have smooth travels, of course. An hour later the GPS said, turn right. I did, but the direction didn’t seem right. I knew the place we were going stood right along the highway, but the GPS took us on a lovely country road, up into the hills, and back down only to find a detour sign. Then our way meant more winding roads, hills, and curves until we got on another country road. At last, we arrived. We were surprised to arrive before the rest of our party. Once they arrived, we enjoyed our two-hour visit with them and left to come home. We talked about family, caught up on life, discussed our beliefs, shared stories, and oh, so much more. As we parted, we made plans for the future.
Now, the time was to head back home. This time we decided to avoid the traffic and towns and take the turnpike. The countryside was lovely, and the road was great.
“Oh! There’s the turnpike!”
I turned onto a great Interstate. You guessed that we got on the wrong road again, didn’t you? Now we went north instead of west. We took the first turn off, but it didn’t take us back to the south lane. We were now going back toward the restaurant. We found the turnpike and took it all the rest of the way home. We finally arrived home without incident, happy, but ready to take a rest.
Had our redirection (or should I say misdirection) resulted from just a bunch of mistakes, or did God have something else we will never know about? We were redirected by our own folly, and the only reasons for these mishaps to have occurred may have been to teach us patience, to pay better attention, to enjoy more of God’s creation, or even just to have some quality time together for a change. Or our redirection could have had a deeper reason.
Our experience reminds me about a redirection with the Apostle Paul in Acts 16. Paul had preached and started churches throughout the southwest-central area of what is now Turkey between 49-52 AD. Now he hoped and planned to continue to preach in the northern area in Bithynia, a region along the southern coast of the Black Sea. “Sounds good. Let’s go.”
God said, “No.”
“And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.
Acts 16: 6-8
What reason could God have had to deprive these pagans access to the gospel?
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
Acts 16: 9
God wanted him to spread the gospel into Greece. God would take care of Bithynia in His own timing. About ten years later, the Apostle Peter opens the door to God’s mind just a bit in his first letter:
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father …
1 Peter 1: 1-2
Oh! How did that happen, Paul? In the years following Paul’s ministry, the churches where those who had come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through Paul’s ministry, and others, had been scattered throughout the area, and took the gospel to Bithynia. Ministering in Bithynia wasn’t the job God had for Paul.
Perhaps our redirections today were only meant for me to remember: God is in the business of carrying out His plans. Our plans always need to couple with “Thy will be done.”
Remember: God is omniscient; not your GPS! … or your memory. No need to become angered by our redirections. Rather, look for something or someone God will place in our path and rejoice.
Challenge: Consider the plans you make (both mundane and ministry): do they follow the scripture? Have you prayed for God’s leadership? If your plans are preempted, look for God’s direction and blessings in another place.
Prayer: LORD, you have promised to show those you love the path of life; help us to walk along with you, in step, and in the same direction. Amen.
[i] AI generated image
[ii] This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
