The 'right' answer...

I can be so focused on finding the 'right' answer, that I miss opportunities and blessings and lessons standing right in front of me. My family has been walking through a season, like many in this economy, where there doesn't seem to be a 'right' answer; and at times, there doesn't seem to be any answer...just waiting. Recently, however, we found ourselves presented with an opportunity, a possible blessing and answer. Kinda' came out of nowhere, and on the surface 'felt' like something we should jump at. Having been burned before, my husband and I were overly-cautiously-optimistic. We became intent on seeking God's plan...His perfect will...the 'right' answer.

We agonized over this decision. We pleaded with God for a burning bush. We begged Him for a neon sign with a bright arrow pointing us in the 'right' direction. We even left ourselves open to a 2x4 smack across the forehead. All because we wanted to make the 'right' choice.

Sitting at lunch in Round Table Pizza, both of us spilling our hearts and our tears over pizza and breadsticks...it hit us. We had become so consumed with hearing God's voice and seeking His perfect plan and His perfect will in this situation that we were walking down a road of wondering if we had done something wrong...that God wasn't answering, and we were somehow being punished. Lies. The truth was maybe there wasn't a 'right' answer. Maybe God was allowing us a choice, and there wasn't a right or wrong way to move forward. We had become so focused on finding that perfect 'right' answer, that we were missing so many things around us. There were lessons we were learning along this journey; lessons on perseverance, resting and waiting on Him, trusting in Him and in others, lessons on pride and asking for help. We were surrounded by opportunities to shine God's light into areas we had kept hidden from Him. And the blessings He had given us along the way were hidden in the shadows of our doubt and fear about the next step...

Psalm 37:4-7 promises: Take delight in the LORD,

and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in Him and He will do this:

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still before the LORD

and wait patiently for him...

So, we were still before the Lord...and waited on Him. (as patiently as we could!) And we made a choice... We will never be 100% certain that it was the 'right' or 'perfect' choice, but we do hold to God's promise that if we commit our way to Him, He will meet us where we are...and walk us through... That's what faith is, anyway, right? Sometimes you have to take a step (or a leap) and wait for the fall into His arms...or the gentle nudge of His redirection...or simply, take another step...