Pathways to PurposeSample

Life can sometimes feel like an uphill climb—especially when you’re walking through loss, disappointment, or delay. It’s easy to get stuck looking down, overwhelmed by everything that’s gone wrong or hasn't worked out the way you hoped.

But Proverbs 15:24 reminds us that the wise take the upward path. They choose life. They choose to lift their eyes from the valley and fix them on what’s ahead. That’s not always easy. In fact, it often feels counterintuitive when you’re tired or hurting. But hope is found when we look up—when we trust that God is leading us somewhere higher, even if we don’t fully understand the route.

This verse says that wisdom leads away from the grave—away from despair, fear, and hopelessness—and toward life. That doesn’t mean everything changes overnight. But it does mean we can live with the deep, quiet confidence that we’re not stuck in this place forever. God always has a next step. He always has a way out—and it always leads upward.

Are there areas in your life where you’ve been looking down instead of up? Maybe you've been replaying regrets, stuck in fear, or bracing for disappointment instead of expecting God to move.

Take a moment today to shift your focus. Ask God to give you His wisdom to see the higher path. Maybe that looks like choosing forgiveness, taking one small step toward healing, or even just believing that your story isn’t over yet.

Prayer:

God, sometimes it’s hard to see the path ahead. I’ve been weighed down by discouragement and fear, and I need Your wisdom to lift me out of it. Help me to walk the upward path—to trust that You’re leading me toward life, not death... toward hope, not despair. Teach me to lift my eyes, even when it’s hard, and remind me that You are always making a way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.