Today I dropped my girls off at a friends house so I could go for a run. I started at her house and ran through neighborhoods and on roads that I am not super familiar with. I found myself running downhill for a very long time and ended up on one of the busiest roads in our area. I am not a fan of running with lots of cars and traffic but decided to just keep running. The sidewalk I was running on suddenly stopped and as far as I could see there was construction going on. By this point I couldn't really turn around and the 4 lane highway was not something I was going to attempt to cross. So I ran through the chaos, the mud, the rocks, the dirt, the puddles, the tree limbs, the construction crew, and the cones.
As I ran today on the unstable and muddy ground I thought about people in my life whose lives are so full of chaos, pain, hardship, challenges, addictions, sadness, depression, guilt, anger, brokenness, struggle...they've made a few wrong turns, as we all have, but they haven't found their way to solid & firm ground.
Sometimes we make wrong turns in life and find ourselves in a place we never thought or wanted to be. Sometimes hardships and difficulties come, not by our own doing, but as a result of living in a fallen world. Whatever the reason, it can be messy, hard, challenging, and feel like it's never going to end.
Thankfully for me on my run today the construction finally ceased and I returned to solid ground and found my way back to where I needed to be! The only way we can recover, the ONLY way we an recover...is by turning to Jesus and clinging to Him through the mess. He will set your feet on solid ground and He will make your path straight!
God doesn't want us remaining stuck in chaos...He is all about seeing people through those difficult circumstances, bringing freedom, healing, redemption, and recovery. A friend, Jeremy, from Bible college shared this quote on his Facebook page and it blessed me tremendously to read it:
"Jesus helped the woman at the well recover love, the woman caught in adultery recover dignity, the blind man recover sight, the tax collector recover purpose, the religious people recover relationship, the sick recover health, the lonely recover friendship, the world recover life and hope. Jesus is in the business of Recovery!!"
"Lord I lift up anyone reading this who needed to hear these words, whose life resembles the chaos and mess of a construction zone. May you direct their steps and lead them through the chaos and to a place of peace, safety, wholeness, strength, freedom, healing, joy, and a strong & firm foundation in you. Thank you that nothing is too difficult for you. Thank you that you are in the business of recovery. Thank you that you make all things new. Guide and direct them back to solid ground. In Jesus name I pray. Amen"
