It is common in the summertime to see the ubiquitous orange barrels of road construction with the accompanying detour signs. The signs are carefully arranged to direct motorists around the construction back onto the road at a further location. We may grumble and complain about the detour, but if we follow the signs, we’ll eventually get to our destination—just by a different way than anticipated.
Life is full of detours, too. We make our plans, set a route, and then along the way discover we can’t get there the way we planned. Joseph’s life didn’t go as planned: a prosperous life with his family in Israel as the favored son of Jacob. Instead, his life was detoured to Egypt by jealous brothers. Yet, while in Egypt, God provided the signs for Joseph to follow to safety: integrity of character, purity, hope, and trust in Him. Joseph kept his eyes on those “detour” signs of guidance and eventually did end up with his family again and was able to provide more for them than any of them could have imagined. In Genesis 45:5 Joseph says to his brothers:
And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
Or consider Naomi. While in Moab, she lost her husband and both her sons—certainly not the route she envisioned to a comfortable family life. In addition, she was far from her homeland and her people. Though she was frustrated and despondent, Naomi’s character of trusting God inspired the well-known words of her non-Jewish daughter-in-law, Ruth:
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17)
Naomi’s “detour” ended up with her becoming the great-great grandmother of Israel’s renowned king, David.
When we encounter a detour in life, we need not think of it as a negative; detours are meant to protect us from danger. We do have choices, however. When you see a detour sign, you can ignore it and barrel on ahead, ending up in a ditch or worse. Or you can try and find you own route around the construction and end up wandering and lost.
Or, you can trust the detour signs and go where they lead you, even if the way is unfamiliar. The detour signs of life are found in the word of God, the Bible, and through faith in Jesus. This is where we look to find our way through challenges and difficulties when life doesn’t go the way we thought it would. 2 Timothy 3:16 says:
Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. The Scriptures train God’s servants to do all kinds of good deeds. (CEV)
The Bible teaches us how to respond to troubles or trials in ways that are not only right and godly but are also best for us. The Scriptures are full of wisdom; let the Spirit and the Word guide your attitude and actions through difficult times.
We can also trust that despite detours in life, God has a perfect plan for us if we keep looking to Jesus. He loves us and knows what he is doing.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
We may not understand his purpose in the moment or know where the situation is going. Often in hindsight we can see that we avoided something much more hazardous than the inconvenience of a detour. What we CAN know is God’s love and faithfulness, and that he can be trusted to lead us through life.
Sojourn Sisters 