Your story: There are twists and turns ... - 12 April 2024

As a child, I quickly fell in love with reading. My mother encouraged my brother and I to read as much as possible. We each had a special little book in which my mother wrote down all the books that we had read. When you had read a certain number of books, you received a stamp in your book. And if you had a whole bunch of stamps, you got a reward – something as simple as a treat or a small toy.

At one stage, I became acquainted with the kind of books in which the reader has to make a choice at the bottom of the page about what will happen next. So, say the character comes to a door in a dark corridor, you have to choose: open the door and see what is behind it – then you turn to page X – or walk further down the corridor and see what awaits in the dark – then you turn to page Y to continue reading.

If I did not like what was waiting behind the door, I would sometimes cheat – flip back and pick over, hoping things would turn out better or more exciting for the character.

I also liked to read such a book over and over again, because I wanted to see how the twists and turns of the story changed, and how the ending was then different from the previous round.

Cute idea for a storybook full of adventures, but, unfortunately, real life does not work like that, does it?

We cannot go back in time and make different decisions when we see that things are not working out so well. This is what can make life so scary sometimes, especially if your decisions and choices have an impact on other people, and have consequences for your loved ones like your children, parents or partner.

The reality is, we are never going to know exactly what the consequences of our decisions and choices will be, until we have made that decision. However, we should not let the fear of the unknown overwhelm us. We cannot say that we are believers in Christ, but then we do not trust God when we come to a fork in the road or stand behind a closed door.

It is here that we must enter into a conversation with God and keep asking for guidance, insight and answers. Ask God to show you which path you should take. Of course, this does not mean that it will be the easy path. It might not be the path that looked good to you. It may also be that you will be halfway down the road and then realise: catastrophe! Just remember, you never walk alone. And even if you cannot go back in time and make another decision, God is still there. He will also be on the turnoff, helping you to get back to the main road. You just have to allow him.

Prayer: Lord, when I have to make big decisions, help me to choose correctly. Show me which way I should walk. Father, when I make a mistake and end up on a detour, also help me to find my way back to the right path. Amen