This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.'” Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)
In this passage Jeremiah is telling the Israelites that they need to return to their faith, the faith that they learned from Moses and those before them, and to follow it.
It’s not often that we’re told to look back or to go the old way, but when we get distracted and go off course, that’s exactly what we must do. When this happens, we’ll find ourselves standing at a crossroads just like the Israelites. Now we have to make a choice about the direction we’ll go.
Do you find yourself standing at the crossroads of your own healthy living journey? Have you gotten off track from honoring your body the way God created you?
Before they become influenced by peers and destructive messages from society, children simply listen to and honor the cues their bodies give them. They’re amazed by their bodies and what they can do. They’re not self-conscious about their shape or size. Eventually, however, they hear a message that makes them think they can’t trust themselves around food and that someone else knows them better than they or their Creator. Their healthy body image soon becomes distorted. All this leads to unrest and unnecessary struggles.
Have you found yourself on a path that’s not leading to the life you want to live? Instead of peace, you’re anxious and unsettled. Instead of a mind focused on God’s Word, your mind is distracted by negative self-talk and obsessively focused on your weight. You’re exhausted from fighting this never-ending battle with your weight and your feelings about yourself.
If you’re feeling any or all of these things, you are at your own crossroads. God is giving you the opportunity to stop and reassess. Then take courage and choose to go God’s way.
Action Step
As you stand at your crossroads, you have a choice to make. The Israelites chose not to follow the godly way, but you can make a different choice. Take the Lord’s hand and allow Him to lead you on His path to peace and freedom. It’s time to go with God!
