The Undiscovered Country

The Crooked Path

Since I started attending church at the ripe old age of twelve, I heard people talk about their "life verse."

For many years I didn't quite know what it meant. When I did understand, I couldn't think of a single verse to apply to my entire life.

It didn't bother me. I didn't want my spiritual life constrained to a single thought, but instead continue to grow and evolve in my faith.

I may read a verse one day and it doesn't register. A day, a week or years later I'll read the same scripture and it pops off the page, waves its arms and yells, "Read me! Read me!" That passage then becomes my life verse of the day, week or year, because it best applies to my circumstances.

From attending three writers conferences, I now have a decent collection of business cards given to me by other conferencees. About 30% contain a scripture. Most pertain to writing in some way, but others could be considered their life verse.

I ordered new business cards a few weeks ago, and added my own scriptural passage. I stumbled upon it when researching for "A Reason to Hope." It hit me hard enough I realized then a person can claim a single scripture as a life verse.

That's not to say I won't change my mind when another passage applies better to my life, but for now it's Ecclesiastes 7:13:

"Accept the way God does things,
         for who can straighten what he has made crooked?"

I sometimes expect by following Christ he'll straighten my path, but in looking back on my life it's quite the opposite. I fought (and continue to fight) for him to straighten my way, and make my life easier.

Through this passage he reminds me his way is best. In order for me to be the person he needs me to be, I need to struggle. I need to walk that rocky, serpentine path, and accept it with grace and gratitude.

God forged for me a crooked path. It's steep, full of obstacles, and I don't know what the next turn will reveal. I'm learning to accept that God knows and will always provide the strength and wisdom I need to keep on climbing.