Remember the Cross If You Are At A Crossroads - God's Rewards Are Often On The Road of Difficulty

Hosea 1

Don't be afraid of taking roads less travelled because that's where God shows up

Soul Food

“When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. In that day I will break Israel’s bow in the Valley of Jezreel.”

Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them. Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save them—not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, the Lord their God, will save them.”

– Hosea 1:2-7 (NIV)

Soul Search

• Would you say you’re a person who is up for challenges and who doesn’t run from danger or hard work?
  Most of us avoid difficulties or serious challenges – oftentimes at all costs - and want to take ‘easier’ roads. And roads tend to be easier after many more people walk them and wear them down to where they are relatively level and without serious obstacles. Roads less traveled are anything but smooth and often have obstacles like unpruned branches and limbs blocking and impeding the way.

• Have you ever had an opportunity to do something but you knew it was going to be difficult?
  Did the fear of the difficulty or the degree of the difficulty keep you from going down that path?
  If you had another opportunity to do it again would you step out and try it?
  Why or why not?

• What opportunities are presenting themselves to you right now?
  Are you at a crossroads with respect to deciding which way to go?

• How will you make the decision with respect to which road to take?
  Is it possible that God may want you to make the hard choice and take the road less traveled? 

• Can you discuss your options and what things you allow to inform your decision-making?

Soul Moves

• It might be difficult to look inside and examine those things that form the basis for the decisions you make but it can be a worthwhile exercise. 

• Make a list of those things that come into play when you’re making decisions.
  Pay attention to the voices of those in your life – both past and current – who have influence over you and who can impact the decisions you make.
  Are they positive, affirming voices or are they negative discouraging voices?
  It’s important to know who and what is influencing you.

• Pay special attention to those things that come into play when you’re making a difficult decision and/or making decisions that you know will require challenge and difficulty. 

• Ask God to give you the faith and courage to step out and make what might be a touch choice to choose a difficult path. 

• Keep in mind that when you serve God He sometimes calls you to roads less traveled.
  Life with God can be risky but He’s always promised to walk with you and to never leave you even if you have to suffer on the journey.
  But with that risk that faith in God brings, there is also great reward.