My husband and I lived on seventy-three acres for fifteen years but recently sold that property. While living there, a friend visited me one day and we went for a walk on the property. As we approached one of many trails that led to my “pine forest,” she commented on the “well-worn path” we were on. I did not think much about it until she pointed it out because it was the path I walked almost every morning on my prayer walks. and that got me thinking…

We all have well-worn paths in our lives. Things, places, or people we visit regularly. Some are good, and some, not so good. Most of us have some of both. and some, we don’t even notice because they are so ingrained in our daily lives; for better or for worse.

The Bible instructs us to be careful what paths we take in life — “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:25-27)

Some of us have well-worn paths we know we need to avoid altogether — habits, bad choices, ruts or relationships we have allowed ourselves to get into, footpaths in our lives that we feel conviction about repeatedly, yet we reason away the conviction time and time again. Sometimes the footpath seems non-consequential, but the truth is, if God is putting His holy finger on it, we can be sure there is a reason.

In the book of Exodus, we learn about God miraculously delivering the Israelites from Egypt and promising them, through Moses, that He had already given them the “Promised Land” in Canaan, all they had to do was trust Him and go take what was already theirs. God had made a “path” for them to a land “flowing with milk and honey,” all they had to do was stay on that path. A trip that should have taken eleven days took them forty years because of their lack of faith in God and His promises. They did not stay on God’s path to the promised land. Instead, they chose to take their own paths, trusting in themselves and most of them never saw the promised land. They died in the wilderness, walking around in circles, creating well-worn paths of doubt, unbelief, and discontent, ultimately never making it to the Promised Land God wanted them to have.

The enemy [Satan] never warns us of the “danger” or consequences when we get on the wrong paths in life. No! He poses as a trail guide, seeking to lead us further down those paths, promising the “time of your life” when he knows the opposite is true. His goal for all people, especially God’s people, is to get them off the path God has for them and to lead them so far into the wilderness that they can’t find their way back, hoping they will stay there and miss their calling and kingdom purpose, doing everything he can to keep them out of God’s promised land for them.

The glorious thing about God is that even when we get off the path God has for us, even when we take side trails that we know we should not, all we have to do is send up an S.O.S. signal through prayer and repentance, and the Lord will send out His Search Party of One — the Holy Spirit, and He will lead us back to the path God has for us. He already knows exactly where we are at all times, but He will not force us to follow Him. Once we decide we no longer want to follow the lying, deceiving trail guide, and we turn around (repent) and ask God to guide us and lead us to where He wants us to be, He will. Scripture tells us, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” [James 4:8/Jeremiah 29:12-14].

May we all keep walking those well-worn paths that lead to righteousness, holiness, and God’s plan for our lives, keeping our gaze upon Him, the heavenly trail Guide. May we not look to our right or to our left where the lying, deceiving trail guide is lurking, seeking whom he may deceive and devour. and may the grass grow over those old, worn, self-guided footpaths, while we remain steadfast in the Lord, allowing Him to lead us on the path He has for us to…the Promised Land.

Lisa Hannan lives in Valdosta with her husband, attorney Miles Hannan, who has been practicing law in Valdosta for more than 30 years. She has a B.S. in psychology from Valdosta State University. You can find her at www.lisahannan.org.