Obstacles in My Path

I composed a prayer this morning:

"Lord, put those obstacles in my path today that cause me to trip over that which must not be ignored or avoided."

I can be absent minded and highly distracted. This insight into my own spiritual need for reminders emerged from the realm of the mundane.

I did not want to forget the fill my gym bag with the clothes from the dryer and take it with me this morning. So I placed it in the doorway of the hall through which I pass on the way to my car.

I either trip over it or take care of business (or both).

I do that. I put my car keys on my wallet because I cannot go anywhere without the keys and should not without my wallet.

I can set up some spiritual safeguards, but the really big ones require outside help.

So I pray things like, "God, make me nauseous over the sin in my life," and "Lord, remind me of why I am really here when I start thinking it is all about me."

It seems to work ... most of the time.

However, sometimes I need stronger prayer and stronger intervention. I need the "trip me up" level of praying. I can be stubborn at times.

A friend, Darryl Curry, recently posted one of my favorite verses:

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

It caused me to reflect:

Funny how it takes both trust in God and rejection of my own self-sufficiency. I sometimes get stuck in a thinking loop of my own invention and fail to see outside of it. But sometimes, I doubt the quiet promptings of the Spirit to move forward.

Some trust , but continue to lean on their own understanding. Others lean not on their own understanding, but don't trust God either. 

The first group gets bull-headed and everyone does what they want to do. As a result, they sometimes miss the subtleties that only God sees.

The second gets frozen by fear and does nothing.

It takes both trust in God and rejection of my own stubborn inclinations to move in the God is leading.

At least, I find that true in my own life having been both bull-headed and frozen from time to time.

So, I need to refine this walk a bit and, until I "get it" fine tuned, I need some "reminders" along the way.