19 Look! I’m doing a new thing;
now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it?
I’m making a way in the desert,
paths in the wilderness.
Reflection
In 8th grade, as we were preparing to choose classes and map out our four years of high school, the guidance counselor came to our classes to give us the rundown and help us get started. During his spiel about online classes, he wanted to know who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up. I threw up my hand and proudly declared I wanted to be a teacher!
“Oh, that’s boring. How about someone else?” He said.
Oof. That didn’t feel great.
As a chronic people-pleaser I always wanted to have the right answer. My mom and I used to joke about me growing up to be a starving actress, but really I just wanted to follow societal norms to have a successful life… get married, have a reliable job, so I could have a nice house, car, pet(s), and provide for my children. I never had clear pictures of what I wanted those to look like, I was just following what I was supposed to do.
I was not prepared for a pandemic. I was not prepared for not being a teacher for the rest of my life. I was not prepared for this period in my life that might be called a mid-life crisis except I’m only a third into my life. I’m not really sure what I want to do but I know I feel lazy and inadequate for not doing it. The demons on my shoulder consistently tell me I’m a failure and ask, what have I made of myself? What have I accomplished? I feel like I have no good answer for them as I stumble my way through the wilderness because the map I once had is out-of-date.
This scripture is reminding us that God provides even when things feel sparse. Even in the desert, God create paths that we don’t know the destination, only that we can trust God is up to something. I feel a bit lost in the wilderness at the moment. I never saw the third-of-life crisis on the map I thought I was following. But I know that as I walk forward on this path, it’s one that God created for me with love and success in the journey. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize, but this scripture reminds me that God’s always got something in mind, even when I’m feeling a bit lost.
by Ashley Bowler
For Pondering and Prayer
Have you ever felt lost in the wilderness, like you were wandering the desert with only a paddle? How did God make it known to you that this wandering in the wilderness was an adventure rather than hopeless meandering?
Is someone in your life meandering? How can you meet them where they are at and bring God’s love to them? How can you walk with them in a way that reminds them, not only of God’s love, but also that the map to “success” they may have been following is probably out-of-date?
Prayer: Dear Lord, As we venture down the paths of our lives, it can sometimes feel a bit like hopeless wandering in circles. Remind us that you create and add excitement to our journey even when it’s hard for us to understand. When we feel lost in the wilderness, you know exactly where we are. As we navigate this life, remind us of the excitement that comes with venturing into the unknown, knowing full well that you’ve created the path we need to follow. In Your Name, Amen.
