Detour

My family LOVES vacations. Who doesn't, right? When finances allow, we feel blessed to be able to fly to our destination. But more often than not, our vacations involve car travel. During these long road trips, I have an important job. I am the navigator. My husband loves driving and being in control, or more likely, he hates riding, so by default, I am the official map reader. No GPS for our family; we do it the old fashion way! Over the years, I've done a pretty commendable job of getting us to our destination with little difficulty.

There is, however; one thing that will rattle my nerves to the very core of my soul. And that one thing is most dreaded and it usually comes with a slight advanced warning. DETOUR AHEAD. Detour! Now when in familiar territory, a road detour is no big deal. While the back roads may add travel time, they are known and a mere inconvenience. In unfamiliar locales, a detour is a genuine reason for panic. We plan for clear and smooth driving conditions on the way to our destination. Alternate routes are not a welcomed part of our trip. We don't want delays, setbacks or traffic backups to inconvenience us. We can no longer rely on our own resources. Interestingly enough, sometimes these detours take us to some unexpected pleasures. A quaint town. Breathtaking scenery. An outstanding eatery. Had it not been for the detour, we would never have enjoyed these experiences.

Amazing how the same thing happens in life. We are cruising along, enjoying a peaceful, comfortable journey when, BAM! It happens! With or without warning, we run smack into a detour. Sickness. Death. Cancer. Job loss. Empty nest. For many, an initial reaction is panic. We are in unfamiliar territory and cannot, or should not, rely on our own resources. The pain is real. The anger is explosive. The heartache is numbing. Life is uncertain. But just as our road detours, these life detours can bring unexpected joy. Peace. Comfort. Serenity. I know, because I've experienced it firsthand. With illness. With death. With job loss. When anxiety is turned over to God, he gives unexpected delight. He transforms panic into peace.

Trust is not an easy thing. For me, it is a lifelong exercise against my skeptic self. The peace that comes from trust is an amazing reward. Lucky for me, God has limitless patience. He is waiting for me with open arms. He is my guide in this journey of life.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 from The Message:
"All praise to the God and Father of our Master. Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort-we get a full measure of that, too."