Here’s a little story about how God puts us back on the right path. My daughter, Ally, and I were trying to squeeze in a three-mile walk/jog before nightfall, so we picked up the pace. As we hurried down that last hill at Otis Golf Course in Bedford, Indiana, the sun dropped below the horizon, and it grew immediately darker.
Then, out in front of us, something crossed the road. I was just about to ask Ally what it was since she was a bit in front of me, but before I could speak she said, “Look, a kitty! Looks like MarMar.”
Marnie Moo is our Tuxedo cat who is affectionately known as “MarMar.”
With that, Ally ran after the kitty that was now nestled in some tall grass on the side of the road.
Just as Ally was about to reach down to pet the pretty kitty, we both realized it wasn’t a pretty kitty at all.
It was a skunk!
Ally retreated just in time to avoid the wrath of the scared skunk, and we finished our walk/jog in a full-out sprint.
Though the skunk did resemble MarMar, we discovered an important lesson that night—things are not always as they appear.
So many times in life, I have acted impulsively on what I thought looked good, only to have it turn out just the opposite. I run toward it with great enthusiasm and expectation only to find a perturbed Pepe Le Pew awaiting me.
I bet you have, too.
It’s just how many of us are wired. If you’re like me, you often leap before you look; proceed before you pray; say ‘yes’ before you’re sure. But here’s the good news. God created us, and He knows us better than we know ourselves.
READ MORE: HOW MUCH DO YOU TRUST GOD?
He has made provisions for those of us who chase after kitties that turn out to be skunks, and He watches over us. Every time I’ve leapt before I’ve really looked, He has been there. He always knows where I am, and He always puts me right back on the right path.
I love what Psalm 139 says:
Lord, you have examined me and know all about me. You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them. You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. (Verses 1-3, NCV)
That’s comforting to me, and it should be reassuring to you, too. It’s another way of saying, “Don’t worry. Even if you step out in the wrong direction, He knows where to find you. And, even if you go one direction and walk through what seemed to be a good door, but it wasn’t a ‘God’ door, He will be there to help you.”
Sure, it’s always best to look before you leap, pray before you proceed, and hear from God before you say “yes,” but if you occasionally (or often) find yourself pursuing Pepe Le Pew, don’t fret. God is a God of grace, and He sees your heart.
He knows that once He gets your enthusiastic self back on the right path, you’ll run your race well and finish strong—hopefully free from skunk spray.
