Gratitude to Robert Frost for the title idea. In his 1915 poem, “The Road Not Taken,” Frost described a diverging woodland path. The two trails were similar, yet the outcome of his choice was most pleasing, and “that has made all the difference,” wrote the esteemed poet. His implied lesson is that the other road was routine like all the other paths, Likewise, the road oft taken by us seems to always lead us to the same place with the same unhappy outcomes.
Why is it that our lives never seem to change? Why does it seem that we continually face the same challenges with no elevation in our condition? It’s really quite simple: when nothing changes, nothing changes.
Maybe you have struggled with repeated failed relationships. Perhaps it seems that you never have enough money to pay your bills. It could be that you suffer from repeated bouts of depression and anxiety or you never make progress in the gym. Despite everything you do, nothing seems to get better.
You are not alone.
Change has always been difficult for God’s people. The Israelites came into a brand new land. It had already been cultivated, and homes had been built. This promised land was a magnificent change from 40 years as nomads. Their addresses may have changed, but they did not. They frequently chafed under God’s guidance. They wanted to do things their way but did not appreciate the consequences of their choices. They even wanted to return to Egypt and worship Pharaoh’s idols.
Unbelievable!
Peter was the same way. He loved being in the presence of Jesus and being counted among his apostles. There is no doubt that Peter genuinely loved Jesus. Yet, he denied even knowing Jesus (Luke 22:54 – 62) on one occasion. An odd story in John 21:1-3 has Peter and the other apostles going fishing. They go back to their pre-Jesus life. This story occurs after the resurrection. As eyewitnesses to the risen Lord, they still sought out the old ways. And how was that fishing trip? “they caught nothing.”
Also unbelievable!
What Must Change to Bring Improvement
It’s the same with us. We find our spiritual life soaring to the heavens! We feel more connected to God than we ever have before. We stand on the mountaintop! But a few days, weeks, or months later, we’re back into the same old routine with the same old results. There are two keys to breaking the cycle that are essential: Bible reading and prayer.
To read God’s word is to commune with the Lord of Lords. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to his apostles as their one source of truth (16:7 – 15). The Holy Spirit brought inspiration to the Bible writers (2 Peter 1:21), and we consume their holy words. By studying the Spirit’s words, we come to know the revealed mind of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). Wow. To know the mind of God? That’s big, really big. And it’s a game changer.
But Bible reading is not all we can do. We pray along with our reading, revealing our inner man to ourselves. God desires our prayers, but he already knows our hearts. In humble prayer, we shatter inner barriers and invite lasting change into our lives. No Christian ever grows apart from prayer.
Rewind that last paragraph. Did you notice that God desires our prayers? You have something the Creator wants – your prayers. Because God created man with the freedom to choose, he will not compel us to pray. It must come from the heart. Jesus said we should always pray (Luke 18:1). James tells us to pray for others (James 5:16). Best of all, God promises to hear (2 Chronicles 7:14; James 5:16).
A consistent, sincere life of prayer and reading will transform the hardest heart and change the mind of the most foul person. Imagine what it can do for you! Go ahead, reject the road oft taken and try the road not taken.
Do you have a suggestion about prayer? What have you done to help your prayer life? Please share below.
