When we get our eyes off the path that Jesus wants us to take, we find ourselves in the wilderness, lost and not knowing which way to turn. When troubles come, it is easy to go off in the wrong direction, away from God and the road he has set out for each one of us to walk. (1)
When our minds are full of troubles, we become preoccupied
and paralyzed; we stop hearing from the Holy Spirit. We are subjected to the negative
carnal thoughts that hold us captive and it is difficult to meditate on
thoughts that are true, just, pure and lovely that Paul instructs us to do. (2)
We become lost, and our fears and anxieties overtake us. There is no room for the fruits of the Holy Spirit for peace, joy, love… they are guideposts to being on the right path with God. (3) When we don’t have the “peace that surpasses all understanding”, (4) this is when we know we have gone off into the wilderness on our own - we become lost.
But thanks be to Jesus, the Great Shepherd, when one of
his sheep is lost, he searches for it until it is found. (5) Jesus makes “a road in the wilderness and a river in the desert”
that we might find our way back to him. (6) He never leaves or forsakes us.
We are never lost when we walk along the road with Jesus,
and when we seek Him, we will find Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you what
is troubling you – pray in tongues (7); and ask for wisdom – pray till the “peace
that surpasses all understanding” comes upon you and joy fills your heart.
Prayer:
Lord my mind is full with troubled thoughts and the “worries of this life”. (8) I am lost and need to be found. Holy Spirit guide me; show me the way out of my troubles. I pray in my “tongues” language you have given me. I listen for your voice. Make a way where there seems to be no way. Show me the road in this wilderness that I can be on the right path with you again. Amen.
Listen to the music "God will make a Way" by Don Moen.
SCRIPTURE VERSES:
Philippians 4:8
(2) “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
(3) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit..."
Philippians 4:6-7
(4) "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 8:12-13
(5) "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.…"
Isaiah 43:18-19
(6) “Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old. Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a road in the wilderness and a river in the desert."
Romans 8:26
(7) “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
Matthew 13:22
(8) “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”
