Every Step Has A Purpose! 3-8–26

Welcome to the word for the week. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents when I was younger and would take plenty of car rides with both of them. However, they drove in two entirely different ways. My grandmother knew exactly where the gas pedal was and she used it for sure. We would sit in the back seat just so we could be slide from one side to the other while she drove. My grandfather was the complete opposite. I’m not sure if I ever saw him speed because he lived by the principle of there is no rush to get there. Both of them got us there and back. Both of them used the same routes. The truth is that we saw way more scenery when my grandfather was driving because we were not spending our time holding on most of the way. When he taught me how to drive I instinctively wanted to drive like my grandmother. Again, he would simply ask me what is the rush. There is a point here in our lives.
 
As I got older I learned that you usually end up at the same light no matter how fast you drive. Over the years I have learned an important lesson in this that applies to our Christian journey. Too often we are in a rush to get there. We move so fast until we do not get to enjoy the scenery. When we arrive we cannot figure out what is the big deal about the journey. The reason is because we are in a rush and miss the lessons. Yes, we reach the destination but then we wonder why it does not make sense when we get there. We find ourselves having to repeat things because we miss so much from moving too fast. Yes, you want to get there quickly. No, it is not fun being on what feels like an endless drive. But what are you missing in all of this rush? When you look back over your life you have to ask the question on if you learned everything you were suppose to. Can you look back now and understand why those moments were necessary? Have you moved so fast until you still do not know that you missed out on valuable moments?

Let’s dive deeper here. Every step you take should be ordered by God. Is that true for you? The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. In other words, God takes deliberate steps with us. Even that step that only moved you one inch forward was important in the bigger picture. Every step teaches you how to trust God. It teaches you how to listen to and learn His voice. It teaches you obedience and it shows you the outcome of walking in true faith. When you move too fast you end up skipping important steps today that you will need later. Those short steps teach you how to be patient. They teach you the power of timing. They teach you that you can only win by doing things God’s way. It is dangerous when we prefer to skip over the lessons God has in store for us. There is no way to do trigonometry if you do not have a serious grasp on fractions, multiplication, and division. You need those lessons and concepts or you cannot attempt advanced math. You need obedience before you can see the goodness of God. Think on that.

God is up to something in your life. It does not and will not always feel good. Taking baby steps while watching others take giant skips does not feel good. It will work for your good down the road though. You are not stagnant or at a standstill in your life as much as you may express to others. Instead, you are in a season of learning but you cannot see that. You look around you and see how fast others are moving. Yet, you are going to end up at the same light and at the same time. The difference is you will have experienced more, learned more, gained more appreciation, and have a greater understanding of what this is really all about. The race is not given to the swift but to the one who endures. God is not moving you along slowly. He is moving you along at a pace where you be fully equipped for His purpose. The question is will you be patient enough so that you can truly see what God has in store for you or will you keep pace with others and end up learning nothing?

May the Lord continue to bless and keep you in His grace,
Bishop Carlos J. Lennon