Isaiah 45.2 – I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron.

God will go before us and make a way even when it seems difficult for us to understand.  Life is a series of trials. Or we can see life as a series of learning opportunities. In every situation we can choose to learn something from the Lord or do our own thing and sometimes mess up. It is about how we decide to respond to the situation. It isn’t always easy to choose the way of the Lord because we often want to do things in our own strength.  Yet when we do things in our own strength, it can often lead to a lot more turmoil and stress than when we choose the way of the Lord.

I heard a story today.  A wonderful story of God’s grace, of God’s miracle. A reminder to us that no matter what situation we are in God simply does not give up on us even when we give up on him or go off the straight and narrow. God gives us so many chances. So many opportunities to run to him, to come to him when we are struggling and when we are not struggling.  Yet somehow, it is difficult to choose to trust in him because we think is he really for us? Or is he not for us?

The story was about a guitar with a crooked neck. As people it would be easy to give up on something that doesn’t work or doesn’t suit our purposes. My friend shared the story and said she surrendered the guitar to the Lord for his service, and after she had done that the guitar wasn’t able to play because of a crooked neck.  Everyone said the guitar would never be playable.  So she went to her prayer room and prayed and was reminded of the day she surrendered the guitar into the Lord’s hand for his service and God said to her Do you trust me enough not to give up on you even when you go crooked? So then, in the same way do not give up on this guitar.  Everyone said the guitar was worthless and wasn’t fixable, but one day it was fixed and could play beautiful songs again for the Lord.  This guitar now sits in the prayer room and is used for praise and worships in churches. God doesn’t give up on us no matter how crooked we go. God gives us chance after chance, and with his warmth he brings healing into our lives.

All we really need to do is knock on his door and we will find.  Seek and you will find, knock and it will be given to you. Today, I am choosing to trust the Lord, choosing to turn to him and trust him for my future. Today, I am choosing to surrender my struggles and believing in him with all of my heart.

Small stories that are heard can be encouraging for us, because they are small reminders to us of God’s grace and favour on our lives. They are a sign that God can still perform miracles.  God’s grace is sufficient for us whatever the circumstance we find ourselves in. Learn not to do things in your own strength, but learn to trust God for the strength that you need to get through the day.