When This Path and My Will Are Not Aligned by Yvette Walker
Oh hey, short on time? No worries! I'd love to join you on your commute or daily walk/run, or shoot, even while you take care of that to-do list. We can't let these things get in the way of this friendship. It's just starting to get good! Click below to listen to the blogcast.
Imagine this with me:
An easy Summer breeze,
windows down,
car in drive,
the leaves creating a canopy of shade over the road.
All is as it should be.
Until kurplunk.
The front tire meets a pothole in the asphalt road.
Guess what is not prone to come out of my mouth? I've never been one to say, "Thank you, God, for allowing that pothole in my path today." But, I have endured a brutal pothole once and after making it through with the car still intact, I said, "Thank you, God, for helping me make it through that."
My friend, Yvette Walker is joining us today and through her reflection of Psalm 47, she's reminding us of the power of praise not just after we endure the various potholes of life but in the midst of them - in the middle of the confusion and change.
Yvette Walker is an award-winning journalist and educator who has been fully awakened in her faith. In living a true, authentic self, she has discovered her purpose - to share practical insights on receiving God's joy with all women, and leaving them feeling recognized, empowered, open, and understood! She has published a book of devotions, titled Whispering in His Ear"and a companion study guide, God's Voice and How to Listen. Find out more about her and her podcast, Positively Joy, at positivelyjoy.com and at yvettebabswalker.com.
Website: Positivelyjoy.com
Moving is hard. It means change, turnover and embracing difference. Many of us loathe this, right?
Things don’t seem the same. The comfort we’ve felt before melts away.
When you are in the middle of the moving of God, however, you have to embrace it and praise Him! Even when it feels uncomfortable.
Why? Because the moving of God is preparing us for something new and amazing.
Whether we are talking about moving to a new school, a new job or a new home, God is the “King of all the earth.” He’s working, even when we don’t see it.
As Psalm 47 encourages, praise Him!
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise. - Psalm 47:6-7
I’m unexpectedly spending this summer in a new home. I didn’t intend to move, didn’t want to, but when my landlord evicted me, I had to.
I don’t know about you, but moving to a new home is one of the hardest shifts people make in life. Living in three houses in less than one year is worse, unless you have a mighty Father.
I don’t know if it says “God is the great mover” anywhere in the Bible, but it’s true. And knowing this, I just have to praise Him amid all the potholes of life. 2023-2024 has been full of them.
Each season has a purpose but they also have challenges. My moves echoed the seasons – growth, change, hibernation and rebirth – through struggle, and these challenges could have defeated me. But they didn’t, because at each stage, I praised God.
During the spur of the moment house hunt, I praised Him. When I found one I loved, I praised Him. When the mortgage went through, I praised Him. When the moving day came, I praised Him.
“Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
For the Lord Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.” – Psalm 47:1-2
In reflection, the original move from Oklahoma came from God. He provided an amazing opportunity in the form of a job in Kansas City, greasing the skids and clearing the path.
The second and unexpected move happened with God. My husband and I received an eviction notice that we had to be out in three months because the owner had decided to sell, out of the blue! We were frustrated … but God!
“For the Lord Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.” – Psalm 47:2-4
And that is why this second move didn’t overwhelm me. I knew God would take care of things.
We found a home and closed in an unheard of three weeks.
Today, as I notice the sunny garden beds and pots blooming with lavender and hostas, I smile and sing praises.
A weeping Mulberry tree is rooted in the front yard. I’d never heard of that tree before, but let it weep. I’ll keep praising God.
Now, It's Your Turn!
Before opening God's Word, take a moment to pray and ask God to meet you there. Then...
Read Psalm 47 a couple times. Highlight what stands out to you.
Circle verbs or specific wording you notice.
Then, write down a bullet point takeaway based on this. "I-statements" help make this personal. Think of this as a challenge statement.
When I see the "potholes of life" surround me and the path before me does not align to my will, I will choose to remember my circumstances have disappointed me not God. I will keep praising God for who He is.
Then, jot down a question or two to think about today. You don't have to have the answer to this question now. And yield to the Holy Spirit - prayerfully ask God to search your heart and lead you to more truth and grow your faith through the Holy Spirit.
How can I praise God for moving with me through the changes I'm currently navigating? What may I need to surrender to trust Him more fully here?
Again, we don't have to be Bible scholars and talk only in the thou's and art's of King James version to read this book. ...because when we pray before we read, we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is with us, guiding and teaching us.
Praise God for this!
And praise God for refreshment as we are intentional to spend a summer in the Psalms together, for if we want His truth to ever be on our lips, it must first be planted in our hearts.
Our strength grows as we rely on strength from above. Our joy grows as we see God transforming us from the inside out. Our peace grows as we spend time in God's presence, and we find rest when we intentionally seek the Lord first in our lives, for the Lord is ever our portion.
The good life, well it starts with a good day. Then another. Then another. Let's choose to live #TheGoodDay one day at a time.
I love hearing from you, so go ahead. Leave a comment. Be brave. Maybe your comment will speak life into someone else!
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