Basking in the soft, sweet hand of God gently guiding my life is my favorite place to be. Peace is in my heart and “all is well with my soul” runs through my veins. I wish that this scenario was my 24/7 reality; but, truth be told, it isn’t. I’m a flawed, stubborn human being. Many a time, to boot me to His chosen path over my desired trail, God has needed a rigid hand to guide (sometimes shove) me. I am prone to, occasionally, think I’m not only an author of words but, also, capable of penning the course where God wants and needs me. It is at these moments in time that God uses a rigid hand to insure His will over my way.
When I first felt God’s rigid hand, I was unsettled and anything but graciously accepting of His guidance. Only God’s extra injection of grace into my being brought me around to comprehending my route was a detour and not God’s chosen path.
While God’s hand, when needed, is rigid, it is not a harsh weapon or whip. I feel it more as a firm protection to keep me from straying. My visualization and perception is God’s mighty hand rigidly (yet protectively) encircles me. It is not to bruise me as I stray but, rather, to block me from losing direction and wandering away from the trail I’m meant to blaze. God’s rigid hand does not cage me in, but it does protect me from what is outside both His will and where my life was created to go and grow.
God’s hand does not forever remain rigid. Once I have realized the purpose of His rigid hand, my stubborn streak fades; and my Heavenly Father’s rigid hand becomes embracing encouragement. Having revolved my wayward choice toward His perfect direction, God then opens His hand so I can take up the course He has purposed my life to travel. How do I know this for sure? Because, as God’s hand unfurls to form an open gate, His pointer finger stretches forth, confirming where His calling, and my destiny, awaits me. “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6 (KJV)
Uplifted in a Broken Down World 