by Kala Loptien

Leaning In

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this Sound Cloud link.

Trust the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3: 5-6 NKJV

When we are young, we dream up elaborate ideas and plans. We envision what our life will look like and we plan far into the future. Maybe we still do.

What happens when our plans fail or when life doesn’t exactly play out how we scripted it? What is our response when we are hit with a curveball, stunned and knocked down? We certainly experience trouble, pain, sin and loss while we walk this earth. There were no promises that things would always be easy. There was never a guarantee that we would be free from pain. Through a very heartbreaking, recent experience, God is teaching me that I can’t continue to keep a running list of trials. I also won’t ever be able to fully process or reconcile why certain things happen.

I heard someone say recently that we can’t always choose what happens to us; but we can choose how we respond. As followers of Christ, we know what ultimately brings healing and hope. The world subscribes to and promotes hundreds of ways to cope. But there’s only one way that brings true restoration and hope. God is our strength and comfort. He made us and He sustains us. He is the ever-present author and redeemer of our lives. He binds up wounds, carries us through the storm, draws us closer and provides peace that surpasses all understanding.

As we grow in our faith and our relationship with Him, we increase in the understanding that God is in control. Sin happens. Evil is in the world. But we do have choices to make. We are in control of how we respond, where we turn and how we take that next step. We are told not to lean on our own understanding. Instead, we have been given confidence in Christ alone to turn to Him always; to trust Him with all our heart; to seek His will and praise His name. He will direct our paths. Time to lean in.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado