Divine Detours
"Go back and laugh in the places that you've cried, and change the narrative." This simple yet profound quote has been a guiding principle along my healing journey. It's about intentionally revisiting those emotionally charged moments and locations, not to wallow in the past, but to reconcile with them, to reclaim the pieces of ourselves that feel left behind.
Today, longing for the quiet embrace of nature and a deeper connection with Jesus, I planned a solitary retreat. My heart settled on a familiar park, a place where I often find solace. Coffee in hand, the road trip and the journey began. However, the map in my mind soon diverged from the path unfolding before me.
The turn off to my intended destination arrived too quickly and in a fleeting moment, I drove right past. As I contemplated circling back, a gentle whisper, an inner knowing, suggested otherwise so, I continued to drive. Memories of my conscious efforts to rewrite past narratives flooded my thoughts, but this time felt different. This wasn't a detour into comfort; instead, I felt a subtle yet firm guidance toward a place holding a deep-seated ache.
As I pulled the car onto the grounds of the familiar resort, a knot tightened in my stomach. Doubt flickered at the edges of my awareness and I thought of turning around. This place, breathtakingly beautiful, but shadowed by past pain, was far from the peaceful escape I had envisioned for my day. It was a place I have consciously avoided, a space where in another season of my life, the illusion of a carefully constructed "happily ever after" had begun to unravel.
There’s a truth though, that I've come to embrace: God often guides us not around our wounds, but directly into their heart, toward the very places where the most profound healing needs to occur. I trust that His guidance is never random; there is always a reason, even if veiled. Knowing my own inner struggle with revisiting this particular space, this unexpected redirection felt purposeful, deliberate. And in that moment, a deep trust settled within me, a willingness to lean in. While this place resonates deeply with my soul and holds immense beauty, it's also burdened by a significant truth I've carried for too long. I began to wonder if today, in God's perfect timing, I might finally be able to let it go.
I found a quiet table and opened my notebook before me. A sense of déjà vu washed over me as I realized I was seated almost exactly where I had been on that pivotal day years ago. As I sat there, pen poised above the blank page, I asked God for his guidance and a listening prayer began to unfold within me. His whispers began speaking directly to my heart, offering comfort and a powerful vision for the future. The words that followed were a balm to my soul, a testament to God's unwavering presence and His intentional work in my life.
In the quiet moments of that unexpected return, the truth of Isaiah 61:3 resonated deeply: God brings beauty from ashes. It's a reminder that even in the landscapes of our past pain, His presence and purpose remain. May we cultivate a heart of trust, willing to follow His gentle nudges, even when they lead us to familiar yet challenging terrain. For it is often in these very places that He desires to pour out His healing and reveal the beautiful narrative He is writing for our lives. The prayer of release I experienced there is a testament to this, and I look forward to sharing it with you soon…
