Trusting When I Have "Better" Ideas

The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land a while, and I will be with you and will bless you.” Genesis 26:3
When famine struck the land, Isaac planned to take his family to Egypt where they would find abundant food. It made perfect sense. But God had other plans and appeared to Isaac to let him know Egypt was not the answer. If he would trust God and stay where God told him, God promised to be WITH him and bless him. When God is with us, his blessings seem to overflow into our lives. For Isaac, God provided abundantly for their physical needs during this time of famine. He found well after well of water and reaped a crop one hundred fold what was sown. God’s hand of blessing was clearly on him. It’s been in my hardest “famine” times when circumstances were the worst, that God showed himself more WITH me than ever. I was desperate and leaned hard into Jesus, the only rock of refuge that satisfied (trust me I tried others!). God provided strength beyond myself; he provided financially; he put a supportive community around me, but most of all, I rested in the comfort in his presence, knowing he understood my pain even if no one else could.  In my need to control, it's so easy to lean on my own understanding and "go to Egypt", but God's ways are always better than mine. What physical or spiritual treasure have you found because of God being with you in your life?

Lord, today, we like Isaac need you with us. Help us to not run to what seems like a quick fix, but to trust you even when we don’t quite understand your leading. Thank you that with you are endless gifts of all kinds. Thank you for understanding each of our hearts and minds and bodies. Thank you for being with us and never leaving us.

​​Reflection Question: Where in your life these days are you tempted to follow your own path rather than trusting God to lead?