Thank God for Road Blocks

Some friends of mine recently went through what initially seemed like an epic fail in customer service, which ultimately cost them an international trip and countless wasted planning hours. Within a day, circumstances were revealed that made it quite clear that they were not supposed to take that trip. A similar situation occurred a few months back, when friends and family had cleared their week ahead for a vacation, only to find that the uninterrupted time would actually be spent grieving the loss of a dear friend. These stories are quite miraculous when you really get into the details, but I don't want to break the confidence of those whose stories these are ultimately to tell.

What has been revealed is just how sovereign is God. I can hear that, and I can even say that, but to see it in action, to see the events play out to steer one's course, is yet another reminder of how alive and present is the Lord. We've all heard it said that God will not close a door without opening a window. I'll tell ya, He will barricade that door if need be to protect you. There are definitely times when He will watch you stray, allowing you to go off path. I've been the stubborn child far more times than I care to admit. He will also woo you back, and He will use that disobedience and whatever consequences arise from that period of distance to impart His unceasing grace and mercy, and to love on us far better than we deserve. But sometimes, in an act of love, He will literally stand in the way of whatever road you've mapped out.

Can you wrap your head around that? God, the Holiest of Holy, the Almighty Father, will impact events and people around you, just to reach you. In love, He will move and He will prevent. He answers prayers, and He lets wishes fade so that His dreams for us may be realized, which are far better than we can imagine (and infinitely more elegant).

We don't always in know what He's up to. In fact, we often don't. But seeing Him move the way that He has in these situations, I can't help but feel thankful for those moments when I feel like I'm up against a wall, when I can't understand the why and the how. Perhaps I'm simply nudging the point at which I end and He begins, standing before me and protecting my path.