Taking the Long Way
Where I boldly compare Los Angeles to the Promised Land (even though it's clearly not)
Imagine being surrounded by a massive crowd- every one of your family and cousins and neighbors and friends and community members- along with intense feelings of excitement and uncertainty. Together, you walk away from the only home you’ve ever known, one under the harsh rule of Pharaoh in Egypt. Do you dare believe you could have a life away from slavery? After years of oppression, God offers hope and an opportunity to escape.
When Pharaoh released the captives, the Israelites took their first steps on a long road to a new promised home.
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle. (Exodus 13:17-18)
What could be worse than back-breaking work and Pharaoh’s cruelty? Yet, the dangers of war had the potential to send God’s people scurrying back to those horrible conditions. Perhaps it was the proverbial “better the devil you know” situation. But the Lord’s plan was freedom, so by cloud and fire in the sky, He led them to safety. He always knows the best route.
The very same Heavenly Father who rescued the Israelites continues to care for us today. He directs our steps with our best interest in mind, while sometimes taking us the long way to His good plans for us.
This seems counter-intuitive because we often only see difficulty there and assume the worst. We’re impatient to reach our goals, desires, and accomplishments as we cling to peace and security. We’re willing to settle for less-than-ideal situations because at least they’re familiar and we’ve learned how to handle them. Nothing’s perfect, right? But we miss so much and endure unnecessary hardship when we fearfully retreat from God.
Twenty years ago, God led me from Ohio/Kentucky to Los Angeles. The potential of my next life season along with the adventure of a new place was exhilarating, but not easy. I was still new at adulthood and struggling with my mental health. Juggling full-time school and working to pay bills was exhausting. The voices of well-meaning friends and family who believed this was a temporary move nagged at my uncertainties. And Ohitucky wasn’t so bad, really.* I could always go back, and that would be ok, right?
I can easily picture taking “the short road” and being in over my head if I rushed into a job in the tv/film industry that I was unprepared for, jumped into problematic relationships, or spent money unwisely. But as I followed the Lord down a long journey to finish school, start a career, and (to be honest) grow up, He provided more than manna and quail in the wilderness. God gave me a supportive “adoptive family.” There were some incredible delights mixed in with difficulties. Of course, there’s no way I can summarize the past twenty years, but I would definitely describe it as “the long way.” Job changes, financial struggle, a bipolar diagnosis, and divorce were part of the rocky path, but that also included incredible people, abundant love, and even some miracles.
Fear drives us back to familiar places, even when they are unhealthy, uncomfortable, or undesirable. We trust God to a point, but the uncertainty of an unseen future shakes our confidence. However, when we bravely step away from all those “un”s, we discover something remarkable:
Experiencing difficulties cultivates security.
Every time we rely on God, our faith increases. Our trust grows and we feel safer in His care. As we walk through trials with the Lord, we understand a little more about Him. He eases our anxiety bit by bit as He leads us step by step. We develop a better view of the big picture and expand our belief in God’s limitless possibilities. Things may not go as we planned, but sometimes the surprises are better than we imagined.
If we only take “the short way” directly to what we think is best, we aren’t prepared for the obstacles we are likely to face. If they are daunting, like the threat of war for the Israelites, we quickly retreat to familiar places where we aren’t meant to stay. We miss the beautiful blessings waiting on the scenic route to a promised destination.
* To be clear, Ohio and Kentucky are nothing like slavery in Egypt. Please do not judge them thusly. Apologies to the tourism boards of these states.