The Journey to Change

“Though the fig tree does not blossom and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no fruit, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk 3:17-18

This passage makes me stop and ask: “Will I trust God no matter what happens or doesn’t happen in my life?” In the journey of our lives, everything we deal with, every problem we encounter, every place we journey to, every person we meet may bring us to the place where we must decide to trust God again or not.

Why is it that we believe that if God is directing our steps on our journey, it will always be smooth sailing? When we are sailing the boat of our lives, we are forced to leave the safety of the harbor. One man wrote: “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are made for.” Life is risky. Yet, we cannot enjoy the adventure that God has us on if we always refuse to take a step of faith, to leave the safety of our harbor.

The adventure of following God will take us to unexpected places, challenge our faith and force us to face our frailties. In this adventure of life we may be faced with letting go of our ideas. God wants to enlarge our lives so that our hearts may be filled with more of him. Part of our journey with God is learning to die now so that we might really live, then by living well we can die well.
Do I really seek the God who will change me? Do I seek him with all my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength? What could God do with me if I answer “yes” to all of these questions? What if he decides to let everything around me crumble? What if He leads me to the desert and I feel dry and barren? What if my version of success eludes me? Will I joyfully serve the God who is changing me, and shaping me into the person he created me to be?