Gravel Roads

I live on a gravel road. New visitors, especially city dwellers, often miss the turn to my house. They are expecting a clearly-marked, paved road—not this insignificant gravel path which looks like it goes nowhere. So, when I give directions to newcomers, I always have to tell them to look for this unexpected, obscure path. Once you drive down this gravel road, you notice that there is an entire neighborhood of homes tucked out of sight. A recent visitor asked if our neighborhood was new, and if that was why the roads leading to it were still unpaved. “Nope,” I replied, “We have lived here for a dozen years, and these roads will most likely remain this way.”

Recently, I was talking to a wise friend about God’s chosen path for my life. She mentioned that it might not be the clearly-marked, paved road that I am expecting—and maybe that is why I keep missing it.

The path I’m meant to take might be out-of-the way, little-known, inconspicuous, undistinguished, difficult to access, and untitled.

I’ve been looking for a path that is easily accessible, straightforward, visible, reputable, well-maintained, popular, recognizable, significant, and relevant.

God is pointing to the path he has chosen for me, but I keep passing by it, because it isn’t quite what I imagined…