Breadcrumbs

Written by Pastor Eric Everhart

I can’t speak for everyone but sometimes I feel like my “faith walk” is this long stroll through the woods following the breadcrumbs that God has laid down on the path to guide me. Don’t do this, can’t have that, shouldn’t watch this, never listen to them, be sure to act this way, read more scripture, pray more often, and so on. I have my head down on the path of life, doing the very best I can to scoop up all the breadcrumbs and try to stay on the right path. However, I sometimes find myself drifting left and right off the path, following the smell of another way. See, the “world” is dropping its own breadcrumbs, tempting me to pick them up, and making it easy to follow the sweet taste of the “world” and my own “flesh.” Can any of you relate….I’m sure it’s just me! 

How quickly we can grab a quick crumb of bad thoughts, a slice of bitterness towards others, or maybe just a morsel of jealousy that takes us off God’s intended path. For some of us, the breadcrumbs of the “world” look like alcohol, pornography, gossip, lust, pride, anger, or even a little white lie. And wouldn’t you know it, we find ourselves off the path of safety, joy, and freedom that God intended us to follow and instead detour onto the path of brokenness, guilt, shame, seperation, and death.  We look up from gathering the sweetness of the “world” to find ourselves in the thick brush and briars of the dark woods surrounding the path. The right path is out of sight–it’s cold, and I am, you are…..LOST! 

We finally look up and ask ourselves, “How did we get here? How did we find our way among the sticky branches, the thorns, the darkness, and how did we wander so far from the path of life?” More importantly, how do we get back? We want to do what’s right, to please God, and to walk his path of righteousness, but we always find ourselves distracted by the tasty morsels of the “world.” It’s easy for our minds to deceive us, for doubt to set in. In the midst of those thick dark woods we ask, ”Has God left me alone? Does God even care?” and “Why won’t he come find me?”

Truth is, brothers and sisters, God is right there with you! He loves you so very much and he does want you to come back to the right path. “He renews my strength. He guides me along the right paths, bringing honor to his name” Psalm 23:3. He is waiting for you to call out to him, to seek him for direction, and to ask him for help. He wants us to cry out, “God, I need you. I am weak and I am lost, rescue me.” I have wandered off the path of life by listening to voices not of you, eating food not from your hand, and following a trail that you did not set before me. God, please help me, give me your strength. Reset my eyes, my mind, my being, my heart……show me the path to freedom, to peace, and shine your light so I may see my way back to you! Lord, see me, hear my cry, show me your mercy, and guide me with your Holy Spirit!! “Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make your way straight before me” Psalm 5:8.

Have you found yourself “off the path”? Do you feel sometimes you are in the dark woods of the world, lost? Cry out to our Lord…fall to your knees and let your voice echo through the dense forest…LORD I’M LOST AND I NEED YOU!!!         

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29: 12-13

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