Lessons From a Fly – by Abby Kelly

“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21

I knew how he felt, poor little fly. I watched him relentlessly pound his head against the window pane of the two-sided porch where I sat for my quiet time. Desperately, he tried again and again to reach the open air, to be where he belonged, to fulfill his tiny, insect purpose. Even when I tried to convince him to turn around toward the open side of the portico, he stubbornly refused, bent on doing it his own way.

How like myself, I thought. So many times I have prayed and asked God to reveal His plans for my life. Then, with the best of intentions, I set off to do things my way. Full speed ahead, forgetting God’s commandment to wait on Him. I can see where I want to be and what I want to accomplish, but for some reason, I can’t get there. Failure dogs my efforts and my energy is quickly sapped. Like the fly after so many hours, I fall limp and discouraged on the floor.

God promises that He has a future for me, a hopeful future, but I will never achieve it or find peace as long as I am determined to do things my own way. But, when I learn to wait on the Lord and listen to His voice, He will renew my strength. Then, I will obey and follow Him into the wide and hopeful future He has for me.

Today’s freelance Christian writer is married and lives in Georgia with her husband, the best dog in the world and two cats who shed insatiably. Contact