“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28
We have been talking the last few weeks about being on a “Road Trip” with Christ. The highway of life can’t always be straight and smooth; there are hills, construction, rough spots in the road and even “Roadblocks”.
“Roadblocks” are obstructions in the road that keeps us from growing and going in Christ… Anything that can slow our pace in getting closer to God and our goal is a “Roadblock”. Either the enemy places them in front of us to slow us down, or maybe we place them there ourselves (Self Pity, Pride, Guilt, Unforgiveness, Envy, Anger… and many more)… Your “Roadblock” may be different than mine, but they are there. We can allow these “Roadblocks” to become stumbling blocks in our lives, or we can turn them into stepping stones and go on to the next level. I could stay right here all night, but…
Just like “Roadblocks”, there are many “Detours” may come our way.
We all have experienced traveling down the highway and came across a sign that said, “Highway Closed. Follow the Detour Signs.”
Life and our “Road Trip” are very much like that at times. Maybe we go along for months and everything is going good and smooth, then we have some trouble and we have to take a “Detour” in order to get back on the right path… So, here are some things that I have noticed about “Detours”:
Sometimes “Detours” appear suddenly and without warning. I am reminded of our youth trip to Shabbach Youth Conference in Myrtle Beach… we were headed down 501 and all of a sudden, our vans came to a sudden stop. There was a power line down across the road and traffic was stopped. We ended up turning around and taking a “Detour” in order to get back on the main road. It is very hard to prepare for troubles and “Detours” that may come our way, even though we know that sooner or later, they will be there.
We don’t know how long the “Detour” will be. When the highway sign points to a “Detour”, we take it not knowing how long it is going to be. They always seem to take us out of the way and delay our arrival to our destination. When life’s “Detours” appear, we don’t know how long we will have to suffer, but we are hopeful that at any moment we will be back on the main road.
“Detours” can have good results. Sometimes while on a “Detour”, I see some of the most beautiful scenery and coolest things I have ever seen. Getting away from the billboards and bright lights of the highway, there are great things to see. Just like we talked about a few weeks ago… Exiles… getting away from the things of the world allows us to see great things from God.
On a “Detour”, we must drive by faith. The “Detour” road is one that we may have not been on before. We have to trust the signs that they will lead us back to the main road.
In the same way, We Must Trust God! He may be leading us in a direction or ministry we have never been in before. He will work it out!
Remember, Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
Usually, we do one of three things when we face these “Detours”?
We can turn and go back… But Philippians 3:14 tells us, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Don’t give up and turn back… keep moving, pressing toward the goal. Don’t be afraid, He will guide you.
We can take the “Detour” but grumble and complain about it every step of the way… A lot of people press through their troubles, but they complain and tell everyone they meet how bad it is… It is hard to be around those people. I almost become depressed myself. I want to be encouraged not discouraged, how about you? 2 Corinthians 4:9 tells us, “…persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” God will take care of us, we will not be destroyed! God has called us to be a GOOD witness for Him.
Or we can accept the “Detours”, be of good Cheer and learn from them… Look at the apostle Paul. If anyone had to endure “Detours”, it was him. Paul wrote a lot of the New Testament from jail. He wrote in 2 Timothy 4:16, “No man stood with me, but all me forsook me.” But yet he kept going. He never let the “Detours” keep him from going where he was supposed to go and preach what he was supposed to preach.
So, even though we come across “Roadblocks & Detours” and we spend a lot of our time being “Backseat Drivers”, there really is only “One Way” we can go on our Christian “Road Trip”… We must Follow Him!
John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”
Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
We have been talking the last few weeks about being on a “Road Trip” with Christ. The highway of life can’t always be straight and smooth; there are hills, construction, rough spots in the road and even “Roadblocks”.
“Roadblocks” are obstructions in the road that keeps us from growing and going in Christ… Anything that can slow our pace in getting closer to God and our goal is a “Roadblock”. Either the enemy places them in front of us to slow us down, or maybe we place them there ourselves (Self Pity, Pride, Guilt, Unforgiveness, Envy, Anger… and many more)… Your “Roadblock” may be different than mine, but they are there. We can allow these “Roadblocks” to become stumbling blocks in our lives, or we can turn them into stepping stones and go on to the next level. I could stay right here all night, but…
Just like “Roadblocks”, there are many “Detours” may come our way.
We all have experienced traveling down the highway and came across a sign that said, “Highway Closed. Follow the Detour Signs.”
Life and our “Road Trip” are very much like that at times. Maybe we go along for months and everything is going good and smooth, then we have some trouble and we have to take a “Detour” in order to get back on the right path… So, here are some things that I have noticed about “Detours”:
Sometimes “Detours” appear suddenly and without warning. I am reminded of our youth trip to Shabbach Youth Conference in Myrtle Beach… we were headed down 501 and all of a sudden, our vans came to a sudden stop. There was a power line down across the road and traffic was stopped. We ended up turning around and taking a “Detour” in order to get back on the main road. It is very hard to prepare for troubles and “Detours” that may come our way, even though we know that sooner or later, they will be there.
We don’t know how long the “Detour” will be. When the highway sign points to a “Detour”, we take it not knowing how long it is going to be. They always seem to take us out of the way and delay our arrival to our destination. When life’s “Detours” appear, we don’t know how long we will have to suffer, but we are hopeful that at any moment we will be back on the main road.
“Detours” can have good results. Sometimes while on a “Detour”, I see some of the most beautiful scenery and coolest things I have ever seen. Getting away from the billboards and bright lights of the highway, there are great things to see. Just like we talked about a few weeks ago… Exiles… getting away from the things of the world allows us to see great things from God.
On a “Detour”, we must drive by faith. The “Detour” road is one that we may have not been on before. We have to trust the signs that they will lead us back to the main road.
In the same way, We Must Trust God! He may be leading us in a direction or ministry we have never been in before. He will work it out!
Remember, Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
Usually, we do one of three things when we face these “Detours”?
We can turn and go back… But Philippians 3:14 tells us, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Don’t give up and turn back… keep moving, pressing toward the goal. Don’t be afraid, He will guide you.
We can take the “Detour” but grumble and complain about it every step of the way… A lot of people press through their troubles, but they complain and tell everyone they meet how bad it is… It is hard to be around those people. I almost become depressed myself. I want to be encouraged not discouraged, how about you? 2 Corinthians 4:9 tells us, “…persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” God will take care of us, we will not be destroyed! God has called us to be a GOOD witness for Him.
Or we can accept the “Detours”, be of good Cheer and learn from them… Look at the apostle Paul. If anyone had to endure “Detours”, it was him. Paul wrote a lot of the New Testament from jail. He wrote in 2 Timothy 4:16, “No man stood with me, but all me forsook me.” But yet he kept going. He never let the “Detours” keep him from going where he was supposed to go and preach what he was supposed to preach.
So, even though we come across “Roadblocks & Detours” and we spend a lot of our time being “Backseat Drivers”, there really is only “One Way” we can go on our Christian “Road Trip”… We must Follow Him!
John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”
Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
God works in very strange ways, everything seems to happen for a reason. We do have many detours to reroute us in life, but the detours are to make us stronger. It may seem like a longer route to take a detour, but think of how awesome its going to be when you get back on the right track!! These "Road Trips" are to strengthen you for what's gonna be ahead of you in the future!!
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