Yesterday as we were driving, I was thinking in true “INFJ fashion”…(bear with me, there are a lot of “what ifs” in this journal entry) ☺️

I was thinking about how some times, “good things” in life seem to get “shut down” –even the things we know God had led us to.

I am talking about the things in life that at one time were really flourishing — and then suddenly things aren’t anymore, and instead we wonder if we can feel them coming to a close –or perhaps things change so much that it’s just not the same thing.

Times like these can make a us wonder, “God, what are You doing?” and the path can be unclear for a while. Have you ever found yourself almost in a panic when you can feel that you may have to let go of something that you don’t want to let go of? Then the peace of God comes…

It’s easy to wonder if “maybe it’s the devil”, and “did he do this to me? God led me to this, why would it get shut down?” and I’m sure the devil does try to abort things in our lives, but what if many of the things that are “shut down” in our lives happen because the Lord shut it down on purpose?

What if we listen closely and we can hear Him saying,

“Move on, move forward, I am taking you to what’s next. Don’t despair! Just keep walking with Me, and keep trusting Me. You are still on the right path, things look different right now because I am leading you into a new part of the journey, a new land.“

What if the Lord shut something down in our lives because He knew it would be the only way to lead us forward into the next thing He has for us?

What if the Lord didn’t shut something down in our lives and we didn’t make it to a very important “next thing” in our lives?

What if the Lord shut a “good thing” down in our lives because He has something “better” in store for us and what if the only way to get us to the “better thing” was to shut the “good thing” down?

He loves us enough to not let us stay in something that won’t be able to bring us into what He wants to bring us into.

Then there is this question of, “Am I ‘giving up’ on this thing?”

But there is a difference between “giving up” and yielding to allow the Lord to make a shift. Never quit moving forward with the Lord, never stop or turn out of fear or because of some shiny object to the left or right… but I believe that so many times, the Lord will bring a season to a close because He knows it’s the only way to bring us into the next season of the journey.

So Lord, when I am unclear or frustrated about why a thing in my life doesn’t seem to be working anymore, why that thing that worked for a long time just doesn’t work anymore, no matter how hard I try… I will get my focus off of that thing, and look to You, and I will declare my trust in You. I will choose to trust You! I will trust that You are leading me into exactly what I am to walk into for my life, it’s the same path, perhaps You’re just leading me into a new and unfamiliar land, a new part of the journey.

-Heather ?