“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
+Ecclessiastes 3:11
The other day, I was on my way to church and I lost my sense of direction for a moment. Readjusting, I drove past two spots that I needed to stop by at some point. This detour proved to be a blessing in disguise. If I had not gone the wrong direction after the oil change, I wouldn’t have been near the drug store and coffee shop! God had it planned all along. This seemingly small instance reminded me of an important truth: God works in the detours. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard of friends who felt “called to ministry” but walked away from it. Personally, I have dealt with a dream deferred. When I was in high school, I gave my life to Christ and had a passion for music. I fell in love with Christian music from Chris Tomin to Jeremy Camp, from Passion to Kutless and Sanctus Real. God planted a desire to write music for his glory in me. Accordingly, I had the desire to become a Christian recording artist. One huge problem I had was self-doubt. My self-confidence has always been shaky but especially fragile during my high school years. For several reasons this dream didn’t work out and God provided many detours.
Divine Detours
There’s always a reason for God’s redirections. When your job suddenly falls through, when your child rebels, when you get cut off in traffic for the millioneth time, there is a reason. In the philosophical book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament, King Solomon wrote during times of blessing and transition for God’s people. For 40 years, the nation enjoyed God’s rich blessings. The glorious temple was built and stability reigned over Israel during his rule. This however crumbled after he left his post. Tying back into Ecclesiastes, Solomon showed great wisdom in writing about the state of human affairs. In chapter three, he wrote of God’s plan for history. The king begins: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (v. 1). A series of contrasts reveals an important truth in verse 11: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Herein lies an crucial truth: God has purpose in the detours. No matter what detour you find yourself in, rest assure, God has planned it and his plan is always good. Oftentimes, the hurting and the heartache threaten our peace. We are in charge of our peace. Look to the One who rules over it all. His plan is good, his detours are good, His grace is sufficient. Note to self!
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