Numbers 21:4 “And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discour-aged because of the way.”
Navigating with Patience
When I need directions to a location, I normally depend on my iPhone map or GPS to give route options. Most times I am given three options to get to where I want to go from where I am at the time.
Unfortunately, I have also found that there are more options that are not listed. My phone never told me about “route 7,” but I am nowhere near my destination and heading the opposite direction! Detours, wrong turns, and getting lost (of course, I am never “lost”) can add routes, time, and frustration to any trip. Can you relate to this? Have you ever been discouraged by your route?
Sometimes in life, you don’t get to choose the route; the route chooses you. Maybe that is where you find yourself this morning, on “route 7.” You feel like you are not taking the direct route to where you want to go. The children of Israel found themselves in the same spot after forty years (!) of detours and discouragements. They became impatient because of the way.
If you are on a detour, you have a choice. Sometimes faith looks a lot like patience. Clearly, there are times when faith means “go,” but there are some times when faith means “wait.” Impatience will breed discontentment and poor assumptions in your life.
Maybe you feel like you are on a route that is out of the way. If you are doing what you should do today, trust God and be patient in the way. Don’t allow discouragement and discontentment to cloud your navigating.