It’s been my experience that life is a long journey we are all on. And throughout this journey there will be many roads we have the opportunity to take. At times the choice will be easy, as the available road is one used by everyone. You feel comfortable going down that road as it’s heavily traveled, well lit and you feel safe and secure going in the same direction as everyone else.
Then there are those times in our life when the signs are calling for us to take a different road. This road is not traveled by many and the destination you’re not quite sure of. But there is a pull within you to travel that road. You feel something withing your spirit telling you this “road less traveled” is for you. You look down the road and you are scared. You can see the many twists, turns and bumps in the road. There is a part of you that wants to stay on the safe road and just keep following the crowd. But there is that other part of you feeling the pull of that other road. You know the only way you will be able to go down that road is to have faith in someone other than yourself. You are not sure where it will eventually take you but inside you believe it’s a great destination.
How many of us can relate to this in our lives? How many times in our past have we felt the call from God to choose the “road less traveled” but we chose the safe road instead? I can look at my life and see many times where I made the choice of the safe road even though I felt the pull to go down that less traveled road. The end result from staying on the safe road was rarely a negative one, but it didn’t allow God to fully release all He had in store for me.
On the other hand, I can think back to several times within my life where choosing that “road less traveled” opened tremendous opportunities for me. One example led to me receiving my commission as an officer in the United States Air Force. I had been in the Air Force for about 5 years and I was doing pretty well. I had made Staff Sergeant and had a pretty good career going. I was also playing basketball a lot and that I truly enjoyed. I was playing for different base teams, traveling to tournaments, and just having a great time not really worrying about doing much more. Then I had a calling to go back to school to finish my degree.
Now this would require me giving up basketball for a few years and some of the friendships and hanging out that came along with it. All of my friends were playing ball and just having fun and it would have been easy to stay on that road. But again that calling in my spirit said if I did this it would open up so much more for me. So I gave up basketball and went to school at nights and on the weekends. Within a few years I was able to finish my Bachelors degree and my Masters degree. This allowed me to apply for Officer Training School and I was selected. This led to a big change in my career and more importantly in the number of lives I would be able to help shape and influence. Financially it was also a huge benefit. And guess what, I was now able to go back to playing basketball at the same level, with two degrees in my pocket now and tremendous opportunities in front of me.
I can also look at the decision Jen and I made to start The Attic ministry. This was not the road traveled by many and when Jen received the calling to do this we were unsure. What would this road look like? We were sure there would be bumps, twists and turns but the calling outweighed the fear. We decided to take that road on faith believing God had the plan and it would succeed. It has been such a huge blessing for us spiritually and emotionally to have taken that road. The ability to be used by God as a vessel to help others is truly a blessing. We know this road is far from over and there are more twists and turns to come but we are so happy to have chosen it.
Even my decision to follow God’s calling and write this blog is an example of following the “road less traveled”. It would have been much easier for me to stay on the main road and not try and stretch myself to do something different. This was a road I had never traveled before but I knew it would be bumpy with twists and turns. But God promised if I followed He would use me to do amazing things. So I trusted Him and took that “road less traveled” and I’m in awe of how many lives He’s allowed me to touch.
Today take a look at your life and ask yourself, where is God asking me to take the “road less traveled”? In what area does God want to use you and in the process bless you in ways you could not imagine. To be all God has called each of us to be will require us at times to get off the main road and take the “road less traveled”. You can accomplish great things and impact many lives if you just trust God and get off the main road when He calls you to. Many may doubt you and call you crazy for leaving the safety of the main road. Sometimes it will be your closest family members and friends. But remember Romans 8:28 (NLT) says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
Truth in Love! ~ Chuck