Aligning With God’s Purposes
My wife Tracy and I recently had the opportunity to visit Australia and New Zealand to celebrate our anniversary. It was a memorable trip, from the beauty and peace to some incredible people we met.
One experience I won’t soon forget is an 11-mile guided hike. When meeting our guide in our hotel lobby, she was surprised to see how laid back and casually dressed we were. We knew we would be fine in sneakers, although our hike leader seemed surprised. We shared some laughs and then proceeded to our adventure.
Not long after our hike began, our guide asked, “Are ya’ll Christians?” Okay, maybe she didn’t say ya’ll, but that’s my Texas translation. She said she could tell by our demeanor and conversations. Our "yes" response led to an unexpected opportunity to listen to some of her struggles, encourage her, and pray with her.
I have many stories like this from our time away, and overall this trip held such peace and joy for Tracy and me. We talked about how different this trip was from previous ones. God has taken us on such a transformational journey in how we approach our relationships, work, and interactions with each other. He is teaching us to steward all He has given us, and as we obey, we get to walk forward knowing He is guiding us. On this trip, we could lay aside our everyday pressures to enjoy each other, God’s creation, and minister wherever we had the opportunity.
Honestly, we originally planned this trip for earlier in the year. But when scheduling conflicts started showing up, we surrendered and allowed God to show us His timing. It’s crazy to think that maybe He led us to the other side of the world at this specific time so that we could encourage some of the people we encountered.
Looking back on my life, I can see how God has guided me all along, even when I wasn't aware of it. But it wasn't until I started intentionally seeking to align with His purposes that I began to experience a deep sense of peace and fulfillment that I had never felt before.
God will direct our steps when we are open to aligning with His purposes. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and we can rest in His perfect plans for us.
Lord, You know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and You understand my every thought before it even enters my mind. You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book and You know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness You follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. You have laid Your hand on me!
Psalm 139:1-6, TPT