There is an alley behind my place of employment . All along the back of our building are trash dumpsters and utility poles. There are two pretty massive speed bumps along this alley way. It is littered with pot holes and divides our property from some quadraplexes.
I take this route to work 3 to 4 days a week. I know where the pot holes and the speed bumps are located. The speed bumps are so large that I have to slow my car down to a crawl to ease over them and not cause damage to my car. Two times last week I hit that speed first speed bump without ever slowing down. The hit was pretty traumatic . I did the same thing a few days later and was so shocked. I couldn't believe it happened again. What is going on I wondered. I have driven this route hundreds of times, I knew they were there, what is wrong with me? I drove on to work feeling stupid.
The next day I drove the route again, but this time I stopped before I got to the speed bump so I could try and figure out how I could have blundered; then I saw it!
We are in a new season and the sun is shining from a different place then it was in the summer. The angle it was now shining caused the utility pole to cast a shadow over the speed bump which gave it the appearance of not being there. It was an illusion.
This got me to thinking...I wonder how many times in my life experiences has this happened. How many times had I "seen it coming" and hit "it" anyways? I'm in a different season in my life now and in some situations I have tried to use the same strategies as I have in the past. I know where the "pot holes" are so I'll just go around them. What if this new season needs to be different? What if there are shadows being cast upon those familiar things to create an illusion and make them look like they aren't there. What if I'm running hard after that thing and hit the hidden speed bump? Be assured it will be traumatic and I wouldn't walk away without some major damages and in need of an alignment.
I think I have become a bit prideful concerning certain situations in my life. Oh yes, I know what they are capable of but I'll just get this close and remain in control. Those toxins won't effect me if I stay over here, after all I have been here before and now I know what to do. T. D. Jakes said, "don't try and fix a temporary need with a permanent solution." Just because your finances are in bad shape or they have offered to fix your car or mow your grass or hang your new cabinets or hold you when your sick or sad does not mean they are the answer. Your flesh will see an immediate fix and will scream "do it"; the enemy will tell you it's what you've been praying for so its an answer from heaven.
Pray first!! It might be a shadow, an illusion, a set up for a set back.
David faced this same thing in 2 Samuel 5:17
17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”
And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.[e] 21 And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away.
22 Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 24 And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 25 And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba[f] as far as Gezer.
David was facing the same scenario in verse 22 that he did in verse 17. He could have said "you know I did it this way before, I know where the potholes and speed bumps are", thankfully wisdom prevailed and he inquired of the Lord. Just because it looks like the same attack or "blessing" doesn't mean you approach it the same way. The seasons may have changed, the Lord will give you strategy...if you ask.
So, how do I avoid the speed bump now? I slow down. I pay attention to what is in front of me even if it looks familiar. I inquire of the Lord, that is my plan and we need to have a plan!
Dwight D. Eisenhower once said. "Planning is everything. Once the battle ensues, war is chaos."
All this to say, Guard your heart dear one, I have plans for you. Just follow the path I have set before you. Trust me, your loving Papa ,God
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