Although I walk almost every day, my wife and I walked a trail that was new to us today. Of course, we had the advantage of someone going before us and marking the trail, evensmoothingoutthesurface. The pioneers did not have this advantage. The made their own trails in the wilderness before them.
In life, most of the time we are following the trails that others have forged. We benefit from the experience and knowledge of our forerunners. And we should take advantage of their counsel.
However sometimes we have to blaze our own new trail. We may be the first in our family to attend college, for example. Or we may have some new product or business idea that requires an entrepreneurial spirit.
The Bible tells us the stories of several people who were pioneers. God called Abraham to leave his family and home to go to a place he had never been before, but a place where God promised to bless him. Moses was called to lead his people through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Paul, Silas, Barnabas, Timothy, and others were called to take the gospel to far away places.
Did these Biblical pioneers have all the answers before they began their journeys? Of course not! They simply heard the call and obeyed, believing God’s promises.
I believe that God is calling each one of us in a similar way today. He wants us to leave the familiar so that He can give us even greater blessings. Read Paul’s words about his journey and let them inspire you to pioneer a new path with Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Jesus Christ has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Reluctant Retiree 