I knew it was coming. The warning signs were all around. And then one morning… BAM! My peaceful morning commute through the country was blocked. Road Closed to Thru Traffic. Detour. Now What? I had the perfect route. I had it timed down to exactly when to leave the house? Now What?  If you have to travel between Brownsburg and Zionsville you know what I am talking about. Let’s be honest, if you are traveling at all in the state of Indiana during orange barrel season you know what I am talking about!

Have you ever hit a God-detour? You had a great plan, a spiritual plan, even a God-honoring outcome. And you were faithfully working the plan. You are even convinced that God is in it…how could he not be! You had mapped your life, or at least the next chapter of your life, and BAM…Road Closed to Thru Traffic. Obstacles. Road blocks. Detours. It all made sense and now…
The Book of Proverbs – that Old Testament book right after Psalms – is many times left unread, unstudied. It is a book of wisdom handed down from God to Solomon and speaks in practical ways to our every day lives. One of the wise sayings is this
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9 
These wise words are speaking to the very thing I am talking about – God sized road blocks that seemingly mess up my best laid plans.

What do we do when our best laid plans are presented with seemingly God laid road blocks? I am glad you asked.
1. Pray – This is the first answer to any question we may have but it is often not the first thing we do. When your life gets hit with an unforeseen obstacle – Pray. When your life is sailing along on smooth waters and all seems to be going great – Pray. The roadblock doesn’t automatically mean you are wrong about the plan you had. God may just be saying, “Yes, but this is the path we are going to take to get there.”

2. Wait – Psalm 27:13-14, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”  God knows the best time for the plan to play out.  We can actually wait in confidence that, because of the goodness of God, the waiting is not in vain. He is directing our steps. Someone once said, “God’s waiting room is the hardest place to be.” She wasn’t wrong! And while you are waiting, Pray!

3. Trust – Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Our own understanding? You mean my human plans? The way I think things ought to go? When we give those plans to God, he not only will direct our steps but will make the path straight. A straight path is the most efficient way to get somewhere! 

Remember a detour is simply a promise of better days ahead. Something is being improved. It is not a complete stoppage. This new road may very well make my commute even easier. And what perfect plan or promise of God didn’t come with a road block or detour. Abraham was to be the father of a great nation but was childless, 75 years old, married to a barren wife. He couldn’t see how he would be a father at all.  Moses was called to lead the nation out of slavery, out from under Pharoah’s ungodly rule. Pharoah refuses, then says yes, then refuses – 10 Times! Then there is that whole road block of the Red Sea.  Why doesn’t God just do it? Why doesn’t he just make it happen? Why the obstacles? Well, God gets the glory if what seemed possible before has to first go through the impossible obstacle.  Would Abraham’s story have the same impact if he and Sarah were 30 years old, vibrant, healthy and gave birth to a son? But overcoming the obstacle was all God!

That obstacle you are facing; that roadblock that seems to be holding you back; might it be God’s way of doing the impossible.

“Pray – Wait – Trust – Persevere”