This year, I told my kids if they missed the bus they would walk to school. Situated on the outskirts of our neighborhood the middle and high school buildings are a twenty-minute walk from our home.
Today, Rachel missed the bus. Because it is picture day, I offered to drive her to school. Visibly relieved, she sighed and her shoulders relaxed. As I pulled out of the driveway, Rachel chattered about being caught up in the bus traffic, late to school, and possibly sent to the principle’s office.
I sipped the dark brew of liquid mercy and smiled to myself. She did not know I was taking her on a different route. Dropping her off at the front of the school would require me sitting in traffic and the carpool line for over thirty minutes. Instead, I pulled over at the walking trail that meanders behind the school.
Rachel turned in her seat, “Hey, there’s Marcus.”
“Oh good, you know him?”
“Yeah.”
Turning back to Rachel, I offered my confident parental grin. “Good. Now you don’t have to walk alone.”
“What? You’re not driving me to school?” She questioned.
“This is the trail behind the school. Go ahead and get out and walk with Marcus.”
She was stunned. I drove her to school as promised, but I didn’t drop her off at the front door. I dropped her off behind the school. She would have to walk between the softball and soccer fields and around to the side of the building. But, she would not walk alone.
We never walk alone.
Sometimes God will interrupt your progress in order to get your attention. Sometimes he does that as an act of grace because he sees you expending effort in the wrong direction. What you are calling progress is actually paralysis from heaven’s perspective. Steven Furtick
Pastor , Elevation Church
In the course of life, we all find ourselves walking an unexpected path. Yet, we never walk alone.
When the path we planned shuts down, God provides another way. We set goals to move from point A to point B, with a straight and logical plan of action. But God prefers the scenic route.
When I think back over my unexpected journey of illness, job loss, move, and betrayal of friends, I can point to precise moments along the path when God provided a friend when I needed one the most. Sometimes the companions who linked arms with me were cherished old friends. Other times, they were new friends who understood the isolation and struggle of suffering.
However, in the dark moments, when my brokenness overwhelms me, I cry alone. These are the days when my social media activity and text messages are silent. I cry for myself and I cry out for God to help. God is the lifter of my head. (Psalm 3:3). His Word reminds me He will never leave us nor forsake me. (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Friend, have you found yourself on an unexpected path? If so, you can rest assured, you will never walk alone.
~April White
P.S. In the seven-plus years, I’ve been writing Red Chair Moments, this is the first time there has been over a month between posts. While I’ve been absent on-screen, I’ve been present before the Lord. God is cultivating in me a renewed mind and spirit of contentment. He is teaching me accepting my circumstances is not the same as contentment. As the band, Rascal Flats sings, God is teaching me He blesses and walks with me on the broken road. Dear friend, I’ve broken my on-screen silence to remind myself and all of us, we never walk alone. Hugs & Hope ~April
©2018 April White| Images courtesy of Pixabay