Finding God's Path at Life's Crossroads

Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)

16 This is what the LORD says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;

ask for the ancient paths,

ask where the good way is, and walk in it,

and you will find rest for your souls.

But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

The choices we make at the few crossroads in life will lead us to dire devastation or remarkable flourishing. There are not as many as we might think. There are few, actually, and bad decisions will ruin many lives. 

In our passage this week, the Lord reminds Israel of how they responded to these pivotal moments in time. The Lord first teaches us how we should react in these moments. Before we take any action, we should ask questions.

The crossroads in life are pregnant with emotion. They are critical, and we can be overwhelmed with fear, anger, or sadness. The pressure will weigh us down with the anxiety of making the wrong decision, but there is also pressure to move quickly. Different forces, ranging from the desires of other people involved to time constraints, will all create pressure to move forward, one way or the other, quickly. But God’s wisdom is to pause and ask questions.

The Bible teaches us that those who learn to wait on the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31). God wants to use the crossroads to draw us nearer to Him being filled with His strength. Waiting and asking questions to God forces us to draw near to God, to attach ourselves to Him, not letting anyone but God dictate our decisions or behavior. We spend time in prayer, speaking to God, sitting in HIs presence searching Him for wisdom. All the while, being in His presence. 

God is not a toy eight ball, simply giving answers after a good shake. He is love. He is peace. He is security. He is provision. When we pause to ask God questions, He will delay His answers because we don’t simply need wisdom. We need to experience His presence. 

The devil doesn’t want us to pause and ask God questions. He wants us to rush into decisions due to the cross-pressures of life. Succumbing to the pressure allows us to be dragged along like a dog on a leash. But this is not something he can do without our permission. We can resist the pressures, turn off our phones, and remove ourselves from toxic conversations. Then, we turn our face to God, lift our eyes to Him, asking the questions and waiting for the answer.

Prayer: Lord, give me the strength to no longer succumb to the pressures of this world, of the people around me, of any expectations not from You. Help me to pause and wait as You draw intimately close.