“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” —Isaiah 42:16
As humans, we operate in what we know and what is familiar to us. From our sense of direction down to our everyday surroundings—we are naturally led by familiarity. What happens when what is familiar becomes our refuge and crutch? When we exclusively rely on our sense of habit and convenience to guide us through. In this cycle, we become stuck in an endless circle of continually going back and forth. We are not called to live in a forever loop of familiarity. A known ending cannot become unknown. It has already been established as so. If you watch a movie that you have already seen—you will know the outcome. What is unknown keeps us in the footsteps of God. The secret places of the Father require us to seek His presence continually. What if everything that God has designed for you to receive is on the other side of your comfortability? What if your breakthrough is tied to stepping into something unrecognizable? Though obedience may feel inconvenient for us—it is our life line in Christ. In our lives, we can connect the dots to times we struggle to fully commit because the outcome is unknown. Consequently, questioning of our faith occurs. When it feels outside of our reach to do or comprehend—we settle. Our discomfort has caused us to freeze in fear. We see many examples of people in the Bible who had to do the hard things, including Jesus. We are not exempt from the tough and inconvenient assignments over of our lives. Yet, while we may feel reluctant and anxious because we are in unfamiliar spaces—we must embrace the unknown. We may not know what is on the path, but we know Who is on the path with us.
Abram was informed by God to go to a land that was unfamiliar to him. He took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, their possessions, and the people from Harran to Canaan. (Genesis 12:4). Abram most likely did not recognize what was on the other side of his obedience in that very moment. Through this uncharted territory, Abram would experience the dominion of descendants from this destine place. A new nation was to be established because of Abram’s steps. Through the unknown, birthed the greatest covenant from God to Abram. He navigated foreign land. There was struggle. Abram had to instruct his wife to tell the Egyptians that she was his sister; he had to rescue his nephew Lot, and traveled to this unknown land of Canaan during a time of famine. Because of his obedience, what God had hidden in His heart for Abram was revealed. Your revelation is in a new land. There will be trials on the way of the unknown. We cannot let the struggle stop us from moving forward. If you desire something extraordinary from God, you must be willing to tread uncharted territory. When we are obedient to God’s instructions, we are actively making room for untapped potential and uncovered opportunities. Being led by what is familiar is convenient and easy, but to embrace the unfamiliar displays our heart towards the Father. In hidden places, God reveals Himself to us. What if God wants to do something in the most unconventional way right now? The impossible belongs to Him. Trust God in this season of doing the unusual. The path He is taking you through is worth walking blindly with Him. Just because it may be unknown to you, there is already an expected end with the Father. Take the foreign path to Canaan. Go through the unforeseen mountains. The Holy Spirit will make light in the dark places for you. What is God desiring to establish through the unknown in your life?
Purposeful Pieces©