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Are you in the right way? // Você está no caminho certo?


I used to look back at my life and think what if I had chosen another path, what would have happened?

When I was about to go to University I was in between minds, I want to go to Vet school, but for that, I had to leave the city, and I didn’t want that because my mom had just separated from my father and she was still devastated. I wanted to be there for her. And I also thought about Med school, but I knew I take too long to study seriously, it was too late for that. So, I chose Zootechny, something in between. But it wasn’t what I was expecting, and I got really sick because of the humidity and mold in the campus. So, I decided to study a little more and try Med school. I didn’t get in. So, I changed the course and started Nutrition school.

Well, it wasn’t the course of my dreams, it was ok. Interesting though. The point is: In any of these options that I could have gone, I know that I would fall in love for Physiology anyway. And I would pursue an academic career anyway. And I would have found my husband somewhere in the way. The interesting fact is: he also had some similar ideas when he was about to go to University in his country. God knew that we belonged together, no matter the path we had chosen, in any of those we would have met.

If you are wondering if you are on the right path, let see what the Bible has to tell us about it. Proverbs 3:5 - 6 says, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.’ In Proverbs 16:9 says ‘In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.’ Psalm 37:23 says, ‘The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him’; Psalm 119:105 says, ‘Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path’. I am not saying that all the time I was really close to the Word, but, my heart for sure belonged to the Lord. Even all my ways weren’t straight, so I had to change so many times, I still think that God would bring me here where I am today, no matter what.

However, you can choose your own way, God just wants obedience. Like it happened in Numbers 32:1 – 32. The people of Reuben and Gag, they found land before the promised land which would be perfect for their large livestock. But God wanted them to go a little further. Moses was afraid because of what happened in the past with their fathers. So, Moses makes them promised that they would fight together with everybody for the Canaan land, that God had chosen for them. After that, they could return and take possession of the land they wanted.

First, they must stick together with the people, obey God, and then get the land.  God didn’t say NO to them, because they thought the land before the Jordan would be better for livestock, they had a large number of animals, so I imagine that would overcrowd the Canaan land. They possessed that land before the Jordan and the rest of the people got the land across the Jordan river. But they had to cross the river with all the Israelites, fight, and then return.

What a beautiful story! You don’t be afraid where you are going. Your compass and map must be the Bible. It will give you directions. What kind of directions?  Directions of behavior that please God (Psalms 37:23). Try reading the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5 – 7), like every time you have doubts. Ask God to open your eyes and your heart, and give you understanding and discernment when you read. And be at peace.

Let’s pray: Dear Lord, I know sometimes I feel lost, I feel like I have no purpose, sometimes nothing makes sense; all things seem meaningless. But I know, You are the way, the truth, and the life. Lead me, Lord, give me purpose and meaning. Open my eyes so I can understand your Word to me. I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.


As vezes eu costumava olhar para trás na minha vida e pensar o que teria sido se eu tivesse escolhido outro caminho, o que teria acontecido?

Quando eu estava para entrar na faculdade, eu estava em dúvida de qual curso fazer. Eu queria fazer Veterinária, mas para isso teria que ir para outra cidade, e eu não queria deixar minha mãe que tinha acabado de se separar e ainda estava devastada. Eu queria estar com ela. E também eu pensei em medicina, mas eu sabia que eu fui levar os estudos a sério muito tarde, e não tinha mais tempo para isso. Então eu decidi fazer Zootecnia. Mas, não foi o que eu esperava, sem falar que eu fiquei muito doente por causa da umidade e mofo do campus. Então eu tentei no fim do ano Medicina, e não passei. Dai mudei para Nutrição.

Bom, não foi o curso dos meus sonhos, mas foi ok. Interessante até. O ponto é que em qualquer dessas opções que eu tivesse escolhido, eu teria me apaixonado por Fisiologia igual. E eu teria ido fazer carreira acadêmica igual. E eu teria achado meu marido em algum lugar no meio disso tudo. Porque, ele também teve ideias semelhantes as minhas de curso, lá no país dele. Deus sabia que nós teríamos que nos encontrar, não importa qual caminho tivéssemos tomado, nós nos encontraríamos.

Se você está se perguntando se você está no caminho certo, vamos ver o que a bíblia tem a nos dizer a respeito. Provérbios 3:5 - 6 diz, “Confie no Senhor de todo o seu coração e não se apoie em seu próprio entendimento; reconheça o Senhor em todos os seus caminhos, ele endireitará as suas veredas.” Provérbios 16:9 diz, “Em seu coração o homem planeja o seu caminho, mas o Senhor determina os seus passos.” Salmos 37:23 diz, “O SENHOR firma os passos de um homem, quando a conduta deste o agrada;” Salmos 119:105 diz, “A tua palavra é lâmpada que ilumina os meus passos e luz que clareia o meu caminho. Eu não estou dizendo que todo o tempo, eu estive ligada na Palavra de Deus, mas o meu coração sempre pertenceu a Deus. Os meus caminhos não foram sempre retos, então eu tive que mudar muitas vezes. Eu ainda penso que Deus teria me trazido até aqui onde estou hoje, não importa o caminho que eu tivesse tomado.

No entanto, você pode escolher seu próprio caminho. Deus quer apenas obediência. Como aconteceu em Números 32:1 – 32. O povo das tribos de Rubem e Gade, eles acharam uma terra que seria apropriada para seus rebanhos. Mas Deus queria que eles fossem um pouco mais adiante. Moisés estava com medo por causa do que aconteceu antes com os antepassados deles. Então, Moisés faz eles prometerem que cruzariam o rio, e lutariam com todos os israelitas pela terra de Canaan, que Deus tinha escolhido para eles. E depois disso, eles poderiam voltar e tomar posse dessas terras que eles queriam.

Primeiro, eles tinham que se manter unidos com o resto do povo e obedecer a Deus, e só então teriam a terra. Deus não disse “Não” para eles, porque eles pensaram que a terra que havia antes do rio seria melhor para os rebanhos, que eles tinham um grande número de animais, então eles devem ter pensado que ia ficar meio populoso de mais do outro lado. Então eles prometeram e cumpriram, e conseguiram a terra antes do Jordão, e o resto do povo ficou com a terra do outro lado do rio.

Que história bonita, não é? Não tenha medo onde você está indo. Sua bússola e mapa devem ser a bíblia. Ela te dará direções. Que tipo de direções? Direções de comportamento que agradam a Deus (Salmos 37:23). Tenta ler o sermão na montanha (Mateus 5 – 7) quando surgir dúvidas. Peça a Deus para abrir seus olhos e seu coração, e te dar entendimento e discernimento quando você ler. E fique na paz.

Vamos orar: Querido Senhor, eu sei que as vezes eu me sinto perdida, como que eu não tenho propósito, as vezes nada faz sentido. Todas as coisas parecem sem sentido. Mas eu sei que o Senhor é o caminho, a verdade e a vida. Guia me Senhor, dá-me propósito e sentido. Abre meus olhos para que eu possa entender tua Palavra para mim. Em nome de Jesus eu oro, amém.

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