Promise 31 from Exodus 13:17

Ex. 13:17 - "Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, 'The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.'" - God is such a great God! He knows the thoughts of man. If He would have allowed Moses to lead the people the shorter distance, they would have probably had enough food and water for the journey, they would have held on to the excitement and had the adrenaline to walk faster in expectation. They would have held on to their respect for Moses. But none of that happened. Although the journey would have been easier, the outcome would have ended in tragedy. For some strange reason we tend to follow paths that look shorter and easier and that makes sense in life. We have an automatic aversion to pain or striving or walking into the unknowns of life. We like to keep things simple and within our control. But often times those short, easy paths are the most dangerous. This verse says that God was the one who was leading them, not Moses. The people saw and thought it was Moses, by God's direction, but it was truly God who lead. If we allow God to lead us, fully understanding that He just may lead us through the longer, more challenging path, then we'll know that the outcome will be good. We have that assurance that we will win! God will lead us to success, abundance and rest at the other end of the journey. Let's keep listening to Him and watching where He leads us.