Today I had brunch with a friend.  As we parted ways, I was thankful for the time we had together.  It was good, encouraging, and positive!  But I couldn’t help but ask God why in a different time and place, a similar ‘catch up’ took a completely different path … with a negative impact?

I set my Google maps to take me to the place of my next errand, but while driving I got distracted, missed my instruction to “keep right”, and so I was now waiting to be rerouted.  I knew Google would reroute me, because the destination is preset, just that the journey to get to my destination would now be longer, due to my distraction resulting in an unplanned detour.

How much this is like our own life journey!

We have a plan but due to distraction in some form, we end up off the planned route, having to be rerouted.  But if only we would trust God more than we trust Google … that while the journey will take longer due to the resulting detour of our distraction, the destination has been preset!

Distracting decisions can be divine detours in deep disguise.

While we don’t always like the situation or event in which that thing happened, because it hurt like hell, there was great pain, and significant loss … we can (one day) appreciate the result that came through that situation or event, because it brought growth and change for a better ‘you.’
Even as I don’t yet understand it in its fullness, I can now say . . . albeit still with an “Ouch!!!”

“I’m glad it happened!”  (Steven Furtick)

In hind sight, my brekky today would not have been what it was, if not for the distraction and detour resulting out of the previous ‘catch up’.   While I wouldn’t choose that again, it is because of that, that today I was able to:

1) empathise instead of sympathise.
2) understand how it is, instead of imagine how it is.
3) connect on common ground, not be disconnected by foreign ground.
4) be able to say “I hear you, cause I’ve been there too!”
5) say “This is my story … “

And so I feel this piece I wrote several months ago is now ready to be released:

‘Fire!’
Found in
Struggling through
Discouraged by
Consumed with
God I can’t do this
Damaged.  Discarded.  Decaying!

Dreams stolen
Disappointment engraved
Despair overwhelming
Depression overtaking
Direction lost!
Distortion.  Distraction.  Detours!

Tempted by
Denial of
Played with
Burnt in
Scarred by
Depravity.  Destruction.  Death!

Rescued out of
Repentant for
Refined through
Restored by
Renewed with
Deliverance.  Direction.  Destiny!