LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, February 5, 2025

What is the difference between a way and a path? Both words are used in Proverbs 3:6. We are told to acknowledge God in all our ways and then He will make our paths straight.

Very simply, a path is the place we walk, and our way is how we walk on the path.

Picture this. Two people walking side by side on the same smooth path surrounded on either side by thorn bushes. One walks consistently on the path and never deviates to the left or right. The other cannot seem to stay straight and wobbles from side to side being scratched by the thorns and even falls into them on occasion. The one who walks straight has remained sober-minded and focused on the goal ahead. The other has become drunk with the things of the world and has lost the ability to stand up straight.

This image depicts the lives of many Christians. God’s promise to us is this: when we trust Him completely, refuse to lean on our limited understanding of things, and let our relationship with Him take priority over all else, He will keep us on a straight path and keep us straight.

Unfortunately, many people are caught up in the thorns on the side of the path. At first they don’t look like thorns. The bushes are covered with sweet-smelling flowers. We intended to only pick a few to carry with us, but when we touched them we became addicted to their beauty and wanted more.

So enticing is their beauty that we overlook a few scratches. We are willing to shed a little blood to get the enjoyment the bushes offer, and soon we don’t even realize that we are no longer on the path. We are tangled in the thorns and don’t know how to get out.

We didn’t trust the One who put us on the path.

We turned to our own understanding of life and our own solutions to its problems.

We acknowledged that there was something more we desired.

So we turn to look at the path and see someone still walking on it with a joyful smile on their face. We cry out for help. The person stops. We ask them how we can get back on the path. Their answer is simple.

Start trusting God completely.

Ask for His wisdom and stop depending on your own.

Let your relationship with Jesus by the highest priority of how you live your life.

We agree, and suddenly we are standing next to the person on a straight path, and we can see the goal of glory ahead.

Today can be your day to get back on the path. And if you are already on it, today may be the day you help someone else walk with you.

Pastor John