Walking along Where Led

Here are some ponderings from the mind of a midnight shift package-handler. Most of the good thoughts come in the midst of a rush of boxes, usually between midnight and 2AM.

1. How should we respond when we are not treated kindly?

1 Peter 2:19-25

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

2. How do we know what the next step should be?
Abraham followed after God though he did not know where that would lead. What he did know is that God is trustworthy.

Hebrews 11:8

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

3. How much of the future does God reveal as we follow Him?

The Israelites followed the pillars of fire and cloud -- day by day. When He moved, they moved; when He stayed, they stayed.

Exodus 13:21

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

As we go though life, it is filled with uncertainty, even when we think we have it all figured out. One "bad" day, be it a doctor's visit, news from family or friends, or an incident on the roads could radically change the course of life. When these things happen, our recourse should be where we have always been, in the arms of our Heavenly Father. He knows when we are mistreated and He desires to lead us in the way that we should go. Often we pray that God would lead and direct, as if He has not been doing that up to this time. The issue is not the leading, it is the following. We need to pray that He would help us to follow His leading and directing. Romans 8:28 declares that He will work things to His glory, even when we do not understand the "whys" of what we are going through. He knows what is good, truly good. We only think that we know what is good, and that only from our perspective. He is the one that knows the beginning from that end and can be trusted with our lives, every step of the way. Trust and obey, quite simple yet incredibly difficult.