When I was nine, my family took a vacation to visit relatives in New Mexico.
One morning we headed out to a desert-y area where there were some archery targets and gear.
My cousins and I, filled with anticipation for this fun adventure, began to race.
If we would have asked for permission to go ahead of the adults, they would have told us to wait or walk. But we never asked their opinion- we just took off.
(Racing through the desert is not advised. Ask me, I know.)
Running as fast as I could (I was a tom-boy) not to be outdone by my brother or “the boys”, I was going just a little too fast and… you guessed it, tripped over one cactus only to land in a much bigger patch of prickly pear. OUCH!
My parents pulled stickers from my body for days! 😢 I vividly remember my outfit, a pink and yellow striped jumpsuit which was given the name “cactus pants”. I never wore it again.
This reminds me of how often we sometimes run full speed ahead into some project or commitment without ever consulting God for advice.
In the book of Jeremiah, it appears the Israelites were guilty of this, too!
“They never asked God for counsel, and so nothing ever worked right.” Jeremiah 10:21 The Message
We don’t remember about seeking His wisdom until our plan fails. Then we ask ourselves, “Why didn’t I pray first?”
What do you have going on today, this week, or this month? Before taking your next step or making any hasty decisions, stop to pray. It may keep you from falling into a big prickly ouch-y mess! 🌵