The Detour

Why I'm Thanking God for a Road Block

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

I feel the peace of God when I drive my car. For whatever reason, for years and years, the driver’s seat of my car has been the place where I commune with God in prayer and quiet contemplation. My favorite drive is one that I’ve been driving for 15 years now. It’s a quiet drive through the pine trees of Georgia between my childhood home and the next town over. I feel calmer just thinking about it.

So you can imagine my concern when in the midst of my peaceful drive a few weeks ago, I was rudely interrupted by a big orange sign. “ROAD CLOSED,” it said, “USE DETOUR.” Unfortunately for me, the “detour” in question was to backtrack about 15 miles. So backtrack I did. I was excited in a way. Sometimes a detour is scenic and serene. Then again, sometimes it’s dark and unknown.

I’ve been thinking a lot about that roadblock recently. I’ve been dealt a bit of a roadblock in life this summer in the form of a PTSD diagnosis. And in turn, I’ve had to take a bit of a detour. This time, instead of backtracking 15 miles from a big orange sign, I’m backtracking from a job that I loved and plans that I felt excited for.

My summer detour has been one of those that’s more dark and unknown. It’s what old theologians like to call a “dark night of the soul.” One in particular, St. John of the Cross, coined the phrase. Though painful, John says that God uses this period to purify us into deeper love. Gerald May summarizes it nicely:

“The deepening of love is the real purpose of the dark night of the soul. The dark night helps us become who we are created to be: lovers of God and one another.”

Perhaps it’s a bit easier said than done! In the midst of pain, I often just want it to be over. But this summer I’ve come to understand my pain more intimately. If it will lead me to a deeper love for God and for my neighbor, I will gladly lean in.

I think you’re probably on a bit of a detour too. The truth is that we almost always are. Things don’t typically work out the way that we expect them to. The Bible is pretty clear about this:

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Proverbs 16:9

And ultimately isn’t that good news? Whether you’re on a scenic detour or a dark and unknown one, Christian, the Lord is establishing your steps.

It would seem we have two choices. We can begrudgingly embark on our detour with resentment and grumbling. Or we can thank God for the roadblock. An opportunity to grow deeper in love for God and each other. I’m learning more and more to choose the latter.