The Truth about Detours and Ice Cream
Sometimes we find ourselves at these crossroads in life having to choose our next turn on our journey.
We convince ourselves that, once made, our choices will become etched in stone or permanent.
We convince ourselves there is no going back.
The world tells us that once we decide something, we must stick with it.
We cannot turn around even if we discover after a while that our decision is no longer the right thing for us. Maybe we realize that we did not have enough information when we first made the decision. Perhaps the circumstances changed, and events occur that are out of our control forcing us to reevaluate.
It is okay to change your mind.
It is okay to be wrong about the choice.
It is okay to stop, turn around and go back. It is okay to take a detour.
Just the other day, while running errands with my daughter, I started driving home. A short bit into the ride, traffic slowed to a crawl, and frustration set in as this would disrupt my tight schedule. My daughter checked our driving app and found that an accident had just occurred. Thankfully, with the help of our GPS and a little faith, we quickly decided to take the next exit.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105
Our faith is like that GPS, guiding us through life’s detours. It helps us navigate when the road ahead is unclear and when we encounter unexpected obstacles. Just as our driving app guided us to a better route, our faith helps us discern the right path when life’s plans don’t go as expected.
After we detoured, this experience made me ponder our reaction to major life decisions that feel like messy traffic. What do we do when those decisions are not working as planned? When roadblocks or accidents cause a standstill?
Do we use the same logic as on the road, checking our internal GPS and taking a detour when necessary? When a choice in life feels like it’s not working, do you turn to your faith for guidance, reassessing and looking for a new direction?
It is okay to take the detour.
Honor yourself and your faith.
Take the detour, even if only for a moment, to check your map, confirm your direction, and adjust as needed.
Allow yourself to make changes in life decisions just as you would on the road. If needed, take another route
I have learned to be okay with stopping and choosing a new path, both on the road and in life, trusting that God’s guidance is with me every step of the way.
On our drive, after taking another path, we passed a cute little shop we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. We smiled at each other and decided to stop. We enjoyed the best ice cream ever at this newfound shop.
What new path will you take today?
I invite you to take the detour and stop to enjoy some ice cream!!!
“Travel far, eat well, and enjoy the sweetness of ice cream along the way.”
Unknown
