The Detours of Life: Embracing God’s Redirection

As Wesley and I roamed the grounds of our apartment complex, he spotted an area toward the back fence lined with rocks. He pointed excitedly, exclaiming “rock” or in his words, “wock.” He started walking with one goal in mind: reaching the rock garden. But right in front of it lay an obstacle that his little eyes didn’t see. Mud filled the expanse between us and the rocks. 

I attempted to lead Wesley around the mud, but he fought me, assuming that I was stopping him from getting to where his heart was set upon. Scooping him up into my arms, I carried him around the mess. Once I placed him back down right next to the rock path, he realized that I was only trying to help him. I was redirecting him so he could avoid a mess and reach his destination unscathed.

God often works this way in our faith journey. He redirects out of love and care for us. But we are so much like Wesley in this situation, aren’t we? When God is leading us a different way than we want or expect, we fight against him. We often have our eyes set on a goal or a desire, and when we feel like God is taking us the long way around or leading us somewhere else completely, we grumble or lose hope. But we have to remember the big picture:

God is redirecting us because he can see all the things we can’t.

God knows our hearts and sees the temptations that we easily fall into. He sees the things that will hurt us if He doesn’t intervene. What often seems like a dead end or a long way round is simply a divine detour leading us toward a greater destination in a more fulfilling way.

God’s Redirection

Sometimes I like to think about what life would be like if I was in charge. If I had all the things I wanted throughout my life, would I truly be happy? Would my life be fulfilling or still be glorifying God? But when I remember all the things that God has removed from my life and replaced with something better, I’m so thankful that I’m not in charge. If I had all of those things I pined for years ago, I would not be the person I am today. I would not be living a life of godliness, nor would I be anywhere near the person I want to be.

Remembering all the ways that God has redirected me gives me hope when I’m in places of uncertainty or longing. It gives me a sense of gratitude that God knows what is best for us.

God redirects us so that we don’t fall into sin and aren’t easily tempted.

He takes away those temptations by completely removing whatever it is that is tempting us from our lives.

God redirects us so that we can experience something better than what we imagined.

Our human minds can only see and imagine so much. What we see as what we need or envision for our lives is so finite and small to what God sees. His redirection brings us to places we never even imagined for ourselves, and those places are so sweet.

God redirects us because we still have something to learn and experience within the detour.

Sometimes God makes us take the long way around because he has more to show us.

God redirects by taking things away so that we can live lives that are more glorifying to him and so he can bless us beyond measure.

God takes away jobs, relationships, people, opportunities, etc. so that he can provide something even better. He does not take away to be cruel or hardhearted. Rather, He takes away because He always has something better in mind.

And sometimes God redirects us by allowing us to face hardship because He knows that it will only grow us in the long run.

Sometimes God lets us step in the mud because there is a lesson to be learned there. He allows us the fleshly desires of our hearts at times because it will turn us toward Him. And He allows trials and challenges if He is certain that there is growth that will happen within it.

Embracing the Redirection

Learning to embrace times of redirection is certainly easier said than done. It’s easy enough for me to say that God’s redirection has blessed my life, but it didn’t feel that way while I was in the middle of it. I fought God hard. I wandered throughout my life as a stranger, always wishing away my circumstances for something better. The detour felt like a curse, not a blessing. 

But when we remember that God’s redirection is for our good, we can embrace our redirection and live wholly within it. We can embrace the redirections in life by:

Trusting that God’s plan is better than ours

It’s so comforting to believe that God knows a better way. He is guiding us with a gentle hand toward blessings and grace. His redirection is proof that He knows better. Let’s trust that His plan will always be greater than ours. 

Allowing His redirection instead of fighting it

I’ve spent so much of my life fighting with God, as if my wrestling and bargaining would ever change his mind. It was only when I allowed His plan to be the plan instead of fighting Him that I found beauty in the detours of life. It was at that point that I could start working with Him instead of against Him. There has been so much fruit in that work.

Accepting all that the detour has to offer

The redirections in life often teach us greater lessons that we would have learned otherwise. They also provide beauty and goodness that we wouldn’t have seen. There is so much that the detour has to offer. Keep your eyes open and embrace all that it entails.

Purpose in the Detour

After Wesley finished playing with the rocks, he went over to a hill covered in fallen leaves. As he threw them in the air and ran up and down the hill, his laughter overtook him. He sat in the fallen leaves entirely enamored with the scene and situation. He continued to laugh, joy filling his face. 

I’ve decided that I never want to forget all of life’s detours that led me to this moment. God’s divine redirection has led me to this moment, this season, this time in my life. I thank God that he didn’t give me what I thought I wanted years ago because I wouldn’t have all of this. God is so good and kind to us in his leading and provision.

If you find yourself in a place of redirection, remember that while it may feel like the long way around, there is purpose in the detour. God’s guidance is filled with goodness and gentle shepherding. He is leading you toward something greater than you could ever dream on your own. Embrace it all wholeheartedly.