***Listen To Audio Version: The Right Direction Audio 584
Today’s Devotional Scripture: 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV
The Message For Today (July 6, 2026):
***Listen To Audio Version: The Right Direction Audio 584
I don’t know about you, but I love how God can take an everyday moment to reveal deep and impactful truths.
A Simple Story
Just the other day, after wrapping things up in my office, I stepped into the living room as my daughter looked outside and exclaimed, “Oh, look! There’s a turtle.” To which I smiled and said, “Oh, in our yard? That’s cool,” and began to make my way toward the door.
Her voice then elevated with urgency, “No, Mom, he’s on his back… and he’s about to flip over the edge of our rock wall!”
I knew that a fall from that height was no joke, so with that, I was off and running, throwing my flip-flops on and busting through the back door to rescue a turtle I’d never met from certain destruction.
I bravely approached this terrifying creature (who admittedly was about the size of my hand) and, after he had withdrawn into his shell, placed him right-side up, facing the opposite direction, one that led to safety.
Problem solved, he was safe, and all was well.
As we began to walk away from this morning’s rescue mission, I told my daughter I hoped he’d be a wise turtle and keep heading in the direction he was placed. To which she promptly pointed out that he had already executed an about-face and was heading straight for the edge again.
We both moved slowly towards him, and I encouraged her to pick him up so we could place him away from our pool and next to a nearby stream.
She was a bit reluctant to head up this turtle relocation project and shared her concerns, “What if he runs? He’ll go straight over the edge!”
I assured her that turtles can’t move that quickly…
Now, wouldn’t you know it, the moment she leaned in, that turtle decided he was the bravest and fastest turtle in God’s creation. The second she closed in, he took off, booking it straight for the edge.
“Pick him up now! Or he could die!” I exclaimed.
She quickly scooped him up, and just in time. She carried him past the alluring water of our swimming pool and to the safety of a nearby stream. It all happened so quickly, a moment in time.
Afterward, I heard the Holy Spirit asking where that turtle might be if we hadn’t intervened, or if I’d dismissed my instinct to move quickly and instead taken my time to head out the door.
The Revelation
This story is the perfect picture of how our minds and hearts often operate. And thankfully, God is always intervening on our behalf, even when we don’t see it.
To the turtle, the swimming pool looked like a paradise, a beautiful oasis from the summer heat.
He had no way of knowing that the fall from the rock ledge could kill him, nor did he understand that the chemicals keeping the pool clean were toxic to him.
Thankfully, the steep grade of the hill he had to traverse to get to the pool had flipped him onto his back and stopped his progress entirely.
Sometimes, God, in His grace, allows us to get flipped upside down to stop us from moving towards something that seems like the answer but is ultimately meant for our destruction.
The turtle was determined to reach the pool because he was leaning on his very limited, ground-level understanding. He lacked a higher vantage point and an understanding of what reaching the water would eventually mean for him, and he certainly didn’t know that he likely wouldn’t have even made it that far due to the fall.
How often have we acted just like that turtle?
Maybe we ended up somewhere we shouldn’t be, and we’re not quite sure how to get back.
Maybe we’re struggling with overwhelming emotions and a wounded heart, searching for something to ease the pain.
Maybe we don’t see ourselves as Christ does, and we rely on a world that told us to be strong; we had to do it all on our own. After all, only weak people can’t handle the pressure of being the master of their own destiny.
So, we bulldoze ahead, in our own strength, on our own mission, forgetting to take time to commune with the Holy Spirit, to pause, and to ask which way we should go.
The Aerial View Advantage
Thank God for His grace and goodness! He loves us so much that He not only gave us His living word, but He also gave us His Holy Spirit to do life with.
He tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Not because He’s a controlling or limiting God.
He has, and always will, allow us to choose. His plans for us are limitless. He sees the aerial view of our lives and lovingly guides us away from harm and towards what is life-giving.
God doesn’t desire us to live without abundance; He wants us to have his “greater than we could ask or think” kind of abundance (Ephesians 3:20).
He wants each step to be placed on a solid foundation; that’s why His word says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
And after we’ve landed on our backs, he loves us enough to not only redirect us but also to make us lie down in green pastures, leading us beside the still waters as he restores our souls (Psalm 23:2-3).
Today, as you meditate on His word, ask Him to show you the direction He wants you to take and what that first step might look like.
You don’t need to see the whole picture; He does, and He loves you more than you can imagine.
Written by J. Renee , Founder of What Endures. You can subscribe to her publication below:
Good Morning.
This is our morning devotional. If you would like to join us for live faith sessions, you can upgrade to the live Face-To-Face Faith Podcast.
These are live video meetings every weekday at 11:00 am Eastern (Monday-Friday), and Faith Fridays at 7:30 pm Eastern U.S. Time.
A Paid Member Library of printable guides (pictured below) is included in your paid subscriptions. New printables are added each week.
