One summer's day I strolled down a street in the Kyle of Lochalsh, a village across from the Isle of Skye in the Highlands of Scotland. The journey there had been interesting. A long, cramped flight across the Atlantic. Driving on the "wrong" side of the road. Negotiating wee roads and lay-bys. Searching for places to spend the night. Discovering the joys of sleeping in a van when there weren't any.

Though the sky was bright, it was evening and businesses had closed for the day. So I looked at the shop window displays and took in the fresh Highland air. Then I came to a particular window, filled with signs of assorted shapes and sizes, each with a quaint little saying. One especially caught my eye.

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

When we get tangled up in our problems, be still.

God wants us to be still so He can untangle our feet.

I've found the more we follow God, the more flexible we must be, both for others and ourselves. At times "our" expectations, requirements and assumptions make us rigid. We end up following or insisting upon a path of our own making rather than the one God has chosen. It's difficult to hear Him when our minds are made up, when "we" have already decided what to do.

That must be why Jesus often said to follow, seek, look and listen. Such words focus on Him - His directions, His instructions, His plans, His goals. When we choose to follow, seek, look or listen to anyone else, we wander away from Him. And the more we wander away, the more we tend to cling to the decisions we have made, the path we are forging, and the life we believe we are entitled to.

No wonder we get "bent out of shape" when things don't go as we've planned. We become confused, frustrated, impatient, perhaps even angry. We find ourselves surrounded by problems, then go alone to set it all right...still bent on doing everything our own way.

But though we wander here and there, God never strays from the path. He sees no detours, dead ends, or surprising twists and turns. For Him, there is only one Way, the same Way He has called us to follow and seek, look and listen to...for directions, instructions, plans and goals.

Some 2600 years ago, a prophet declared, 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. (Jeremiah 6:16a)

Six centuries later, Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)

Rest. A time to be refreshed and encouraged, when we can see and hear clearly, no longer distracted by problems that bring us down. A time to come to God and follow Him.