the Journey- Caution Potholes Ahead

 Thursday’s Step by Step Devotional

Caution Potholes Ahead

It’s that time of year here in Ohio....pothole season!!! Yeah!, said no one ever. I work in home care and I swear every day, I find every pothole in my county. Some shallow, some deep but all of them annoying and possibly dangerous for my little work car. I can’t tell you how many times I wince and think, this the one that could blow the tire, bend the rim or strand me out here and mess up my whole day.

With driving making up 30-40% of my work day, I have a spent a good amount of time in bemoaning the dreaded pothole. I am driving on a very rough patch of road in life right now. At times the road has been so bumpy from the point of annoying and messing up my day to an enormous sinkhole that wants to swallow me whole. But as I am driving along, God reminds me, He is always with me, over each pothole, no matter how small or how big.

God has never promised anyone that they wouldn’t have to sacrifice or suffer. That there will never be potholes in the Christians’ life. It is the human condition. There will always be something we can’t have, or can’t do. There will always be times when we will suffer for our beliefs. We may do everything right, and still get sick, break an arm or a leg, lose a job, a home, a loved one. Is God punishing us? Of course not! No one escapes. This is because in this world the streets are made of asphalt not gold like in heaven.

Here are a couple of things to remember as we travel the not so fun pothole filled road...

1. God is always with us and will never forsake us in time of need. God promises us that he will be with us through the sufferings that we endure. Matthew 28:20 And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

2. God is our deliverer. Nothing catches Him off guard or by surprise so when we need help, He is already there. Ps 50:15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

3. What we may go through now is only for a season. We need not to live for just today but for eternity. Roman 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

Haven’t you sometimes thought, or even said, “I don’t know how people who don’t have God get through this!” I know I have. I drive along these potholes of life so grateful for the presence of God. Without Him, we can do nothing.

And life will be so much harder.

Heavenly Father, We are so grateful that you are our daily strength especially in times of trials and need. You don’t promise us a life without pain just because we are Christian, but you do promise that you will walk with us through the afflictions that this life brings. We thank you for your faithfulness to get us through it all, and that we can come to you for our deliverance. May we praise your name in all situations, keeping our eyes on you. In Jesus name Amen.