“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21

Journey Toward God

Have you ever taken account of your journey toward God?

Truthfully, my walk has been starts and stops.

Gains and losses.

Climbing and backsliding.

Trusting and fearing.

Learning and applying, teaching and being taught.

Stopping and listening.

Being full and being empty.

Having faith and having doubts.

Discovering.

Failing, falling and confessing.

Controlling even while depending and leaning.

Moving forward yet hesitant, thinking I get it, then realizing I really don’t.

Having questions, getting answers, and not getting answers.

My journey has taken several decades of Him drawing me, showing me the way in His Word, speaking encouraging words telling me whether to turn right or left. Decades when He revealed Himself, then revealed myself.

He filled me, then emptied me. He let me learn, then let me teach others. I spent years acknowledging His hand and seeing Him work, and wondering if I would ever, ever, be mature in my faith. Somehow, He made it all work together for good—mine, yours, the Kingdom’s.

And finally, years of sitting in joy and awe and reverence at His beauty, holiness, glory, majesty. Not that I have arrived—it is a daily quest for intimacy with Him.

My journey includes foolishness, mistakes, misunderstandings, and then clarity and understanding. It includes blessings and gifts, and giftings that I was expected to step up and use for His glory, no matter how scared I was. It’s all part of His plan.

Circumstances always drew me toward Him. His loving pursuit of my whole heart has been relentless.

He has been there for every step and stumble. If I stepped, He was there to show the way. If I stumbled, He was there to pick me up and say, “Let’s try that again, and we’ll do it differently this time.”

He has my full attention, for although salvation was instantaneous, intimacy was not. I am listening, for now I know He has the words of life. After taking inventory of all the ways He has drawn me and stayed by me as I pursued Him, I can say with Job, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5).

When you look at the lives of people who have journeyed with God a very long time, you may look at your own walk and feel you’ll never get it right. If this is you, step back and take a look at where you were, and where you are now—I think you’ll see changes after all. He hasn’t left you on your own. He’ll see you through to the end of your journey to Him, until one day you are in His arms forever.

Father, I’m so glad You haven’t left us to find our way to You on our own, but You are faithfully pointing the way. Let us not fall away from pursuing You, even as You have never stopped pursuing our whole heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.