Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
Proverbs 3:4-5 (NIV)
My eyes glanced at the massive structure near the highway as I drove to church. Years ago, shoppers flocked to the new mall and strolled from store to store.
Vendors passed out tasty samples at the food court. Cars filled the parking lots. People drove from nearby and other cities to experience the numerous venues.
From the outside, the building looked worn but basically the same. Only three or four businesses remain open. Four or five cars parked in the expansive lots.
The property had been sold and extravagant plans released more than once. Who knows when changes will happen and what they will actually be.
The vacant mall reminded me of depleted lives. On the outside only minor changes show and they may appear normal. But inside, there is hollowness. Dreams and ambitions sucked out. Anxiety, divorce, death, addictions and other painful situations purged purpose and stripped away hope.
We can be like the useless mall with no purpose, loneliness and shattered dreams.
But if we lean on Jesus, He holds us tightly, lifts us up and guides us.
Father, in our times of sadness and despair, show us how to regain purpose and follow your plan.
Amen
