Why does God take us South to go North?

In my life recently I have felt distance in my relationship with God. While living in College Station I would regularly attend an on campus bible study called Breakaway every week, and since I have moved to Houston I have yet to find a church that I feel fits my walk with christ. I have noticed a hole in my heart that could only be filled with the preachings of the Lord. I decided while I continued my search I would look back on my notes taken over the course of my time at Breakaway, and login to their website to watch previous podcast. Within minutes of hearing the words of God again I began to feel my spirits lift. In day to day life I hear the words of Christian singers and pray to God, but he requires more from us, to study his word and to listen to his preaching. 

While the hole started to grow I was given unfortunate information about my mother. She noticed a spot on her face that appeared out of nowhere and was continuing to grow. In fear that it could be something worse than a simple blemish, something cancerous, so she made an appointment to see a specialist. Personally I freaked out inside, automatically assuming the worst and began to question God. Why would he put my mothers life in danger of such a terrible disease. I wanted to be angry and upset with him but knew that was just the enemy talking. 

Fot I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future. Jeremiah 29:11

Just when the enemy stepped in I knew I had to get on my knees and pray, pray for her health, for her life, and for her loved ones. I did not tell many people, for we did not know for sure what was the actual cause was for this, but the ones I did tell I asked for continued prayers. My dads church was notified and reached out their thoughts and prayed togeather as a church. Mind you this news was brought to my attention about two weeks ago, my mother appointment was scheduled for today, the 13 of August. LAST NIGHT I received a text from my mom of a picture along with the words "I woke up today and it is completely gone." As if the spot was never there, a spot that was growing day by day...GONE. Just like that a rush of relief came over me. How could this happen, what made it just disappear...

PRAYER

With the words spoken by many mouths to our father asking him for healing and health for my mom, he took away what could of led my family down a very scary path. So the question I ask you, why does God take us north to go south? What does this mean? God takes us down paths that build us, they build our relationship with others, build our relationship with God, and builds our faith. He leads us this way to give us the opportunity to put our trust in him alone. He is the healer of all things. He wants us to believe in him and his words that he know the plans he has for us, we can not change them they are set so what do we do other than put our trust in him fully? When we are forced to face a scary possibility like sickness or death and God takes away that possibility we find ourselves worshiping him whole heartedly, but he doesn't want our worship just out of thanks for healing, he wants our worship for him at all times. We can't just thank him when we feel he has helped something, he sent his one and only son to die for OUR sins, we must praise and worship him always.

God test us daily to see if when we feel hopeless and are struggling that we will not stray from his promises but that we will stand firm in our faith in a time of rain, in order to see his rainbow. Often times God will lead us in a direction we don't know to display his glory! He is worthy of all praise no matter what obstacle is thrown in our lives. He provides comfort in his words and in his people. God will sometimes complicate our lives for his teachings and glory, in this time of worry and stress over my mom he has taught me that he is the only person that can take that worry away. We must cast our anxiety on him and he will deal with it, as long as we trust in him. When people see the blessings God has given me, then I hope they will call upon him. Our faith will move us forward on his path into his glory. 

God has huge plans for each and every one of us, but that does not mean that bad things can't and won't happen, it just means we have to keep trusting in him. My challenge to you if you do not know christ or even if you do, is this... You can keep doing what you are doing and be STUCK where you are, or you can open up to changing your ways and see where the Lord leads you. When you step into a walk with christ and put your faith in God you will receive blessings. There will be obstacles and problems, but he asks us to not focus on those problems we may face, but instead to focus on his PROMISES. 

The size of your problem does not matter, the size of your God does.