It’s in our troubles, or confusion, desperation, and helplessness that we seek Him. Because of His grace, we find Him. Even if we’ve gotten comfortable and get maybe a little lazy in our faith, or we may have gotten distracted by the cares of this world, He waits for us. One of our biggest detractors from God, family, and even productivity is distractions. There’s so much to think about, to stand up for, and to do; it chokes out the goodness of God in our lives. My phone is the biggest culprit. Sometimes I fantasize about having it completely turned off for a week. It’s hard to imagine what life would look like without our phones. I think we’d more clearly see our priorities.
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Matthew 13:22
God Makes the Crooked Places Straight
The thing about being distracted is it makes our path crooked since the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, distraction delays our blessing. The promise and Isaiah 45 verse is two and three talks about giving us treasures in darkness and hidden riches in secret places. As we invite God into our confusing, dark, and crooked places, He can bless us in astounding ways. The treasures I got from inviting God into my stage 4 breast cancer journey are gifts that I cherish today. Aside from the pain it caused my family, I don’t regret having stage 4 cancer. God can do miracles when we invite Him into our lives, hearts, and journeys.
I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: … And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
Isaiah 45:2-3
The Good News
There’s good news, and that good news is God is gracious and faithful to forgive us for our shortcomings for mistakes for sins. Jesus paid the price so that when we mess up, we can come to God and reach out to Him as a trusting child reaches up to a loving father. He gives us the blessings of freedom, grace, and forgiveness when we come to Him. Not one person on the earth has lived a sinless life. The Pope, a pastor, the holiest person we know, are all human and we have all sinned. That’s why God made such a sacrifice. Why do you think God went through this trouble? Because He loves us and wants to walk us through the crooked places and bring us to new hope and life.
since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] [a]grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,
Romans 3:23-24
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