A friend recently encouraged me by reminding me the answer to something I’m anticipating is right around the corner. I wondered, “But where’s the corner?” Is the corner three steps ahead or three miles? Life isn’t built in neatly uniformed city blocks. We don’t know if we’ll be rounding a corner in the next few seconds or next few months. There’s uncertainty and transitions in life.

The reality is…I don’t want to know where the corner is. Sort of. I caught myself asking God if he could at least let me know when this particular time of transition would end, and then I added a condition: “Unless it’s going to be a couple months, because I don’t want to know I’ll have to wait that long.” I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I’m certainly difficult to live with at times! “Never mind, God. You’re right. I only want to know that something will work out and prefer you leave out all the sticky details. I withdraw my request. I’m just going to live today in obedience, and we’ll take tomorrow when it comes.”

What a relief. I don’t have to figure it out. I’m going to enjoy my walk to the corner. After all, if I stay on the sidewalk, I’ll come to a corner. Along the way…

• I’ll stop to visit with a friend at an outside cafe.
• I’ll help someone who spilled her purse contents all over the sidewalk.
• I’ll listen to the street musician, who is talented enough to play in a concert hall.
• I’ll pry the gum off my shoe.
• I’ll be startled by the sudden honk of a passing car.
• I’ll lift my face to feel the warmth of the sun.
• I’ll get preoccupied with the bee buzzing around the flowers.
• I’ll hear bits and pieces of passing conversations and wonder at the diversity of people.
• I’ll see a couple walking hand in hand and appreciate the simple joy of relationships.
• I’ll feel the achiness of my muscles.
• I’ll appreciate my ability to continue walking.

When I’m too focused on the corner, I miss a lot along the way. I avoid some messes, but many joys as well. I can anticipate the corner, or I can anticipate the journey. Sure, I need to keep moving and stay on track; movement is essential to a journey. But I can certainly appreciate the details along the way.

God has a journey planned for me – today. I woke up this morning and started walking. I’ll stop this evening. Have I covered the territory and noticed the things he wanted for me today? In the obedience of today, I realize…I reached the corner. Perhaps not what I thought was the corner. Transitions look different from my perspective than God’s. I prefer his journey. It’s more manageable, less stressful, and much more beautiful.

Are you waiting to hear from God around the corner? Be sure to enjoy him – and all he’s surrounding you with – right where you are. Savor each step forward in obedience. It’s the best place you can be.

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. 2 John 1:6