Finding the Path of Life

Proverbs 10:17 – “Whoever heeds instruction is on the path of life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.”

Stupid decisions— my life has been plagued with them. My kids, especially my sons, tease me relentlessly because when they were teens and even when they went to college, one of the last things I would say to them was, “Make good decisions.” I think the reason I did that was because I made so many bad ones.

Unfortunately, age hasn’t freed me from that curse.

As I was reading Proverbs chapter 10 yesterday, God allowed my eyes to fall on verse 17, and it stung my heart. The path of life, God’s path for me, has always been right there in front of me. Sometimes He has been able to coax me onto it. Sometimes He took away my other choices. But sometimes I simply missed it because I wouldn’t learn the lessons God in his love was trying to teach me. The ‘what ifs’ can be overwhelming.

The truth is that my failures did not catch God by surprise. He saw all of those coming before I was born, and he has planned for them, and kept bringing me back to Him. Praise God!

The verse above has given me hope, understanding and a plan. None of us have the natural ability or wisdom to find our way successfully though life, but God has prepared for our needs. His instruction and teaching is all around us. To hear God and understand His lessons, all we need is a teachable spirit.

Humility, brokenness, and the willingness to let God correct and instruct us, is the key that unlocks the door to God’s classroom.

That little gem is found in the middle of a chapter full of the amazing blessings God is ready to give to the person who listens to Him and is led by God’s wisdom. Humbly receiving God’s teaching isn’t just a good way to live, it is ground zero where the Lord pours out the storehouse of His gifts and blessings!

If, like me, you’re tired of stumbling your way through life, living off the spiritual hand-me-downs of others, then join me. Let’s humble ourselves before the Great Master Teacher, and instead of getting angry or frustrated when God reproves or corrects us, let’s thank Him for loving us enough to teach us, and learn the lesson He longs to show us. It leads to a wonderful path that He and the Lord Jesus have spent an eternity preparing for us.

Now that’s a life I can get excited about!