Wondering about wandering~

 Am I wandering too?

Loving a prodigal who is wandering into difficult and perhaps even dangerous territory is beyond difficult.  It is not for the weak at heart! Over the years, I have wondered about my own prodigal's wanderings so much that I failed to understand...I, too was wandering.

You see, when we walk out of the God's will and purpose for our life--yup, we're wandering. Right?

This afternoon, as I read a friend's first novel, "From Pharaoh's Hand," beyond the joy I felt for C H Green, I experienced a check in my spirit. "From Pharaoh's Hand" is a compelling story of a teen-aged prodigal, Elizabeth, and the dire consequences she faces in her wandering~all restored by God's powerful grace and love. I identified emotionally with Beth's parents, John and Carolyn...my heart understood their angst and despair. And yet, C H Green did not allow John and Carolyn to live in that state of paralyzing fear; no, my friend, Cynthia Green reminds the reader that even when the circumstances of our prodigals life seem impossible, our God never changes and is the God of the possible! Oh, the prayers of Beth's parents in this book were desperate pleas, but they were prayers girded in complete surrender. They did not trust anything about their daughter's wandering, but they trusted their God...who never fails.

How often have I lost myself while trying to micromanage my prodigals journey? How many times have I stopped living...oh I functioned, but I stopped walking in God's will for my life at that very moment...because I was unable to move forward without my prodigal. Anyone know the feeling? 

Then there are life's diversions, things we may do to overcompensate for our desperate need or things that help us stay in denial of our prodigal's waywardness. I've been there--I resemble that sentence! I, too, have been outside of God's will and purpose for my life--all while pleading for God to bring my prodigal home to Him. Oh the irony.  Oh the web the enemy weaves--how insidious is it that the enemy not only has a stronghold on our prodigal, but when we forget to continue to live and walk in God's purpose for us...yup, you knew it was coming--we, too, are wandering.

So as I continue to wonder about wandering...I want to begin walking boldly in the right direction--back into God's purpose for my life-each and every day forward.  How about you?  Do you feel lost in despair?  Are you tired from the spiritual battle of loving a prodigal?  Are you weary from the enemy's assaults?  What can you do today and the days to follow to strengthen your resolve to stop wandering...and step back into God's purpose for you today?

Is it a commitment to attend a Bible Study? Prioritizing daily devotions and time spent alone with God? Perhaps finding an accountability partner who will help you stay in your own life and stop wandering into your prodigal's journey or those nasty diversions and paths of denial?  Have you surrendered your prodigal's journey to God? Is it time to surrender again?  CONFESSION TIME: I am amazingly predictable at taking back what I have surrendered to God, which only leads me further away from God's will. Will you join me and take one step at a time to God's will for you today? Maybe it's just taking a walk and pondering purpose.  Maybe it's just practicing one of your spiritual gifts this day. Let's each find just one way each day to reconnect with the unique YOU that God created you to be.

It is important to wonder, to ponder wandering, not just our prodigal's wandering, but our own. For until we do, I suspect we will only continue to wander.  Loving our prodigals does not require that we step out of God's will and purpose, in fact, we are a stronger advocate for our prodigals as we stand in hope and live victoriously, boldly walking into each day that has been ordained for us before we were even born (Psalm 139:16)! Re-read the Parable of the Prodigal today (Luke 15: 11-32) with a focus on the father. Let's stay in our lives, our very purpose, so we will be fully prepared and equipped to throw that homecoming banquet one day. We MUST NOT change course and follow our prodigal's wanderings, or we risk missing what God has in store for us, ordained by His Will. I'm ready to redirect my path, how about you? Sing with me....Thy Word is a light unto my feet and a light unto my path~ Let's remember and never forget, His Will for us does not change although our life circumstances may change...let's redirect our focus to God's unchanging and perfect Will for our lives and step boldly, with confidence into abundant living. When we stop wandering, we role model the way home for our prodigals! BONUS!!!!!