As soon as I landed, I knew. I felt the twist and the hurt. But I just kept working out, perhaps not the wisest course of action (smile)? At first I thought maybe it wasn’t that bad, but when the searing pain jarred me awake in the dead of night, I bemoaned my initial disregard.

This same thing happens to us in our relationship with God I think. There are warnings, always. Perhaps our discipline is growing lax and desire is waning too. Maybe the sharp pain of sin startles us awake…it’s conviction, but we shrug it off unwise. It could be any number of warnings, signs that we need to stop, refocus, be sober-minded for the purpose of prayer, get serious about this race, but we’re so distracted by trying to accomplish what we’re working on that we aren’t paying attention to the Lord’s faithful lead. We pacify our conviction assuring ourselves that we will address whatever it is later, but that course fills up with danger and we lay our own stumbling blocks in the way, pride and disobedience block our fruitfulness, stifle our growth. There are indicators that we need repentance, refreshment, rest, and too many times we turn away from it.

Hobbling now on a foot that might have been just fine had I paid attention and stopped the moment I felt the twist instead of persevering through those last few sets of jumping jacks (smile). We may save ourselves from hobbling on our ailing spiritual feet if we incline our ears to our God and press our hearts in the warm breathing pages of Scripture and listen and determine to obey.

Our freedom is always inextricably tied to our willingness to heed the voice of our God. And He is speaking to you, into every facet of your life, truth, warning, encouragement, refreshment, redirecting our ways, keeping us. If we yield to Him, He will set us in the wide open space of His perfect Law…obedience is blessed indeed. If we will not obey, He pursues us. He will not stop. Discipline is coming for the child of God stuck in paths belonging not to them. He is gracious. His grace covers us. Yes, love covers a multitude of sins, He Himself is willing to twist our ankle, to make us stop dead in our way, because He knows He is the only Way…the only way to full free life!

It’s easy to get lost in the muck and mire of this world, to forget who we are and what we’re supposed to be doing….

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

The Lord is willing though to twist ankles…He warns us…He sent Jeremiah and a host of prophets to warn Israel of the exile…He sent His holy Apostles to write God-breathed words to remind us that He will discipline those He loves…He sent Paul to warn that God is not mocked, whatever a man sows that he will also reap. He tells us the truth and we either listen or stubbornly keep on going the wrong way. He will stop us. Why not listen to the Word, the warning, the encouragement, the call, the beckoning, to the Pursuer?

He sets our feet in pleasant places, lets us walk in paths of peace, but He will twist ankles to get you there if He must.