Roadblocks and Waiting

Did I hear correctly? The words that filtered through my mind, but did not register, came from my husband who told me that he no longer had a job. It couldn't be. Thirty years of climbing the business ladder of success could not possibly be at an end. With four children -- one in university, one in high school, one in public school, and one in diapers -- there needed to be a pay cheque. It would not come from me, for I enjoyed the “stay at home mom” role.

"When does this take effect?" I cautiously asked.

"You didn’t hear me, did you? I do not have a job." My temporary hearing loss protected me momentarily from the shock of such unexpected news.

Suddenly, I recalled my prayer of just days earlier asking God to free Bob up just a little (not a lot), as he frequently travelled. As General Manager of the company, he worked long hours.
Without warning, the next day, Monday, Bob ate breakfast with all of us. Then, lunch with me and supper with all of us again. The next day repeated that Monday and each day following for several months.

Roadblocks...we all have them at some time in our life. Life as we once enjoyed comes to an abrupt halt, leaving us with a form of whiplash. The muscles, sinews and ligaments in our head have been stretched and torn. Thinking becomes a mixture of doubt, confusion and fear causing more wear and tear on an already fragile mind.

For the Coghill family, this roadblock forced us to make some decisions we had not intended to make. Well-established in Windsor at the time, we had just finished renovations and added a beautiful in-ground pool to our yard. Our eldest son studied at the University of Windsor with a final year ahead. We had every reason to stay except... no job.

Look at the verses God directed me to at the beginning of that year: Psalm 27:1 & 14, "The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? Wait on the Lord be of good courage and He shall strengthen thy heart. Wait, I say on the Lord." God provided through His word the hope that He had not forsaken us. He wants to do the same for you.

Naomi portrays a woman whose life, for a number of years, contained many roadblocks. Famine, a major move, the death of her husband, then within ten years the death of her two sons. Her provision, security and identity threatened, she battled many of the questions all of us do when confronted with the STOP sign. Where to turn? Where to go? Read in Ruth 1: 1-18. Feeling forsaken by God, these roadblocks forced her to make choices.

Can you think of any positive outcome from roadblocks? What new life awaited Naomi because of those challenges?

Let me know what roadblocks you are facing. What are you learning through them? Let's talk.