A Duh Moment

OK, I confess, I don’t like the word duh. In fact, I am trying to remove it from my vocabulary as well as the vocabulary of my entire home. There is really nothing encouraging and uplifting to the person on the receiving end of the word “Duh!” But in all honesty it was the best word to use. Duh, Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines the word as used to express actual or feigned ignorance or stupidity. Wikipedia (Can you believe we have something called Wikipedia?) defines duh as an American English slang exclamation that is used to express disdain for someone missing the obviousness of something. Someone missing the obviousness of something: I was that someone and the something was a Road Closed sign. Let me recreate the scene for you.

It was another hot day in July. We left the swimming pool. We were wet, smelled of a mixture of sun screen and sweat, and riddled with hunger. To add insult to our misery we were stuck in traffic. I knew there was short cut if only I could get up to the light. YES, a break in traffic. As I make my way to the turn lane I noticed a huge orange road construction sign. The words clearly marked: ROAD CLOSED: NO THRU TRAFFIC. I paused monetarily but for some reason thought, “I can get through.” Can you guess what happened next? The road was closed. I did not get through. I had to turn around.
DUH!

As I began going back the way I came it was if I heard the Lord say, “Duh?” Notice I said “it was as if”. I am sure the God of the Universe would use a bigger and more profound statement than Duh when one of His children deliberately doesn’t follow directions, then again maybe not. I admit I answered back with a “Yea, I heard you loud and clear.”

God’s directives in our lives are not always clear. His paths for us are not always easy and at times very difficult to determine. But there are times when He gives us clear instructions but we choose to follow our own understanding, like me and the road closed sign. I knew what the sign said and I knew what the sign meant. However, my own understanding of the situation said that I could be the exception to the sign. I could have my way.

One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” The scripture tells us exactly how to avoid duh moments: to trust the Lord with all our heart. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But it isn’t. We want action. We want now. We want progress so we start to lean on our understanding to make things happen. By doing this we get to the end of road only to find that it is closed.

I have to ask myself, “How do I trust the Lord with all my heart?” God whispers, “Pray to.” I ask Him to help me learn to trust Him. I ask Him everyday until I see my faith grow. I know faith is growing when I look at a “road closed” sign and turn in the other direction.

For His Renown