TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14 ESV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Good morning, from Pigeon Forge! My husband and I drove to Tennessee yesterday (translation: Wayne drove and tolerated me as the very nervous passenger I am and through four solid hours of gasping and complaining). We are here for the weekend with friends. But I’m sincerely hoping he will let me drive home. Yes, it will take us longer to get home because I’m a slow driver… but I really, really, really hate being the passenger.
As Wayne drove, I kept my eyes shut because it’s really much better for everyone when I can’t see what is going on… and it occurred to me that this is the first trip we’ve taken together in over four years (that wasn’t for a funeral). We’ve both taken separate trips, but with only one exception for each of us — they haven’t been for fun reasons. So coming to Pigeon Forge is a trip we’ve looked forward to for months. In the less than a 24-hour period of time we’ve been here so far, I don’t think Wayne and his friend Steve have stopped laughing.
While I was packing for our trip, I was listening to MercyMe, and their song, “Almost Home,” was on. Some of the lyrics say, “Well this road will be hard / But we win in the end / Simply because of Jesus in us / It’s not if but when / So take joy in the journey / Even when it feels long / Oh find strength in each step / Knowing heaven is cheering you on.”
Sometimes we get tired or discouraged on life’s journey. We may flinch, be worried about someone coming into our lane or worry about being out of control. Or even worry about not being able to control others (eh-hem, I may or may not, but probably do closely resemble this one…). Because the road IS hard. On some days, it is hard to find joy in the journey.
That’s the enemy trying to trip us up. He doesn’t want us to enjoy the magnificent view of God’s good plan.
But if we have Jesus, we know He is with us because He has promised never to leave us (Matthew 28:20). And we know who wins. The Bible has already told us what’s coming.
So as we journey the roads and wonder what is around the next bend, let’s remember Philippians 3:13-14. It says, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” When we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, we have a much, much better trip. Because He matters more than whatever chaos or pain we go through.
Today, as you pray, thank Jesus for promising to walk through life with you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you focus on Him and trust in His plan and navigation… even when it feels a little chaotic in the passenger seat.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the NKJV translation.
