Day 24 Focus: Follow God’s path.
(Tuesday)
Level 1: (5 Minutes) As you breathe deeply today, reflect on what taking the time to discern God’s path might mean to you.
Level 2: (10 minutes) Do Level 1. After Reading the scripture adaptation, highlight what words from this scripture inspire you.
Adapted from Proverbs 3:5-8. Dear Lord, help me to trust in You with all my heart and not to lean on my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge You, and I know that You will make my paths straight. Save me from being wise in my own eyes; help me to revere You in all things and turn away from evil. I claim Your promise for healing to my body and refreshment in my bones when I follow Your path. In the Holy name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Level 3: (15 minutes) After pausing to breathe and reading the Scripture prayer, take 5 minutes to write about when you have been inspired by God to change directions.
Level 4: (30-60 minutes)
This past week we were with sixty presidential scholars who come to together from all over the country to collaborate on original projects that seek to make this world a better place. I think “on earth as in heaven.” The projects they are planning are awesome. They range from exciting and innovative ways to help at-risk teens in the inner city; or donating medication that would be thrown away; or to helping survivors of breast cancer discovered they should be screened for heart issues. This combination of experiential and academic research and practice is done while these young professionals are still actively employed. A common question they asked of every speaker was how that person knew which path to follow. One bit of sage advice stood out to me. “Be quick to say, ‘No’ and slow to say, ‘Yes.’’” If we take our time to explore prayerfully and seek to discern God’s way for us, we can avoid “being wise in our own eyes.” Additionally, I have heard a renowned United Methodist Pastor, The Reverend Adam Hamilton, talk about God’s “consequential” will. He posits that when we avoid God’s will in our life, God will help us find another path. So we can trust that God will help us be redirected. Have you ever been saved from being wise in your own eyes or redirected by discernment for your own good?
