From the Desk of a Christian Counselor: STAY THE COURSE
Hebrews 10:36
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
James 1:4
And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Some years ago, the #Lord used the everyday life event of traffic to teach me a #lesson on staying the course and how He knows how to get us to our expected destination and on time. In 2010, we were in the middle of the Pastor’s anniversary at our church and the church had decided to do a week-long revival in his honor. On one night I needed to go home to take care of something after work, but before going to church. After completing my task at home, I left for church a few minutes later than I would have wanted too but I still had ample time to get to church for the beginning of the service. However, once I got onto the freeway, there was an unusual mass of traffic which was a bit odd for that time of day. Understanding how time and traffic worked in my city; I realized that I would be late for church. But under no circumstance did I want to get to church late because I didn’t want to miss the beginning of the service.
I began to somewhat panic and was thinking about just giving up and going back home because the traffic was at a stand-still and I knew from experience that I would likely not get to church until the service was just about over. But instead of giving up and going back home like all external factors had determined would be the best course of action, I got off the interstate and decided to try to cut through one of the neighborhoods. This in-and-of-itself was a risk because I was completely unfamiliar with this neighborhood and area. As I came to the bottom of the off-ramp of the interstate, I distinctly heard the voice of the Spirit instructing me to turn at a certain street. In my natural understanding I was very apprehensive about making the turn and started to turn around in the other direction in which I was a bit more familiar with, at least in my opinion. But the prompting continued so I turned in the direction I was instructed.
When I got to the very next street, I was instructed to make a left, so I did without hesitation. However, as I drove down the street looking up ahead, it seemed that I was approaching a dead-end. And keep in mind I was already totally unfamiliar with the area and had NO IDEA where I was anyways. Becoming discouraged, I had planned on turning around at the dead-end heading back towards the freeway to return home with a sad heart. However, something interesting happened once I got to the end of the street. To my excitement, what LOOKED like a dead-end was a steep bend in the street that led to another street. So, I took the steep turn and began driving up the other street just to come to what looked like another dead-end. But once again, when I got to the end of the street it was also another one of those steep turns that lead to another street. This happened two more times as I eventually and rather quickly came to the main street on the edge of the neighborhood that led me directly to my church’s front door. I got to church just in time, to be on time and was able to enjoy the entire service. Later that night when I got home, the Lord allowed me to mentally revisit the journey and began to show me how my decision to JUST KEEP GOING ended in me receiving what I was chasing.
Sometimes in life, as we walk along our journey, we encounter unexpected obstacles that seem like they have the potential to derail us or outright stop us from obtaining that in which we are pursuing. At these life intersecting obstacles, our first thought is to stop our pursuit and turn around to go back to what is comfortable, what seems more stable, what we are more familiar with, or what seems easier to do. But DON’T GIVE UP, stay the course. It is in these uncertain and sometimes trying times that we need to keep moving, keep pushing, keep pressing towards the promise and trust the process. So don’t stop where you are, no matter what things look like at the moment. And DO NOT turn back. Instead, run on to see what the end will be. Almighty God has already created a path that will lead you directly to your promise… So, keep moving, you’ll get there if you DON’T GIVE UP…. STAY THE COURSE!
Life Applications: Tips to Stay The Course
1) Trust the process! God knows exactly what He is doing. When we let our human intellect get in the way, we try to rationalize the issue and even make it make sense according to us. However, faith doesn’t make sense, it makes miracles. Even if you must do it afraid, completely unsure of where you will end up, just trust the process. In trusting the process, you’re trusting the God of the process and He never fails.
2) #Believe that God has your best interest in mind and that He would never leave you astray. Do you believe that God truly loves you? This question may seem silly to you at first but if you truly think it through you will find that oftentimes we experience fear and distrust because we lack trust in if God really loves us. Sometimes we are so used to experiencing a lack of love from those that we feel should love us that we lump God over into that category and begin to view Him through the lens of those who don’t possess the ability to love us with an everlasting and pure love and who often let us down. But God’s love is perfect and pure. He has a destination that He is bringing you too and He won’t let you down. God won’t put you in harm's way or danger. And though at times His route may look strange He knows exactly what He’s doing. So, trust His love for you and follow Him all the way!
3) Just Stay the Course, because on the other side is the Blessing and you CAN’T get to the blessing if you don’t STAY THE COURSE!
Severing His Purpose,
Dr. D’Juana Pittman, Ed.D., NCC, LPC – Associate, LCDC, CLC
Supervised by Katrina Landry, MA, LPC-S
