When the Wrong Way is the Right Way

by Hannah Nesher

When the Wrong Way is the Right Way

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

There are times when what seems like the wrong way is actually the right way. I now find myself in a place I never wanted to experience ever again - winter in Canada! I practically vowed never to come back here again, and especially not in winter, after making aliyah (immigrating to Israel) in 1998.

I still remember sitting in the Costco parking lot in my car, in the middle of a snowstorm, bundled from head to toe, my fingers freezing even inside my ski mitts, pleading with God to deliver me from this frozen wasteland. And He did. Praise God!

So WHYYYY am I back here now and not enjoying life on the beach in Israel?? After the war broke out on October 7th, I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to go out into the nations and speak on His behalf about Israel, encouraging God's people to stand with us, even as the world seemed to turn against us. I also could see an opportunity to launch my book that I had finally completed and published, Hidden Secrets in the Hebrew.

So, taking courage in hand, off I flew to the United States to the Messiah Conference where I had a book table; and after spending a few weeks relaxing at a friend's beautiful home in the woods, just watching ducks swim around her backyard pond, I decided to pay a visit to my family in Canada for the summer before heading back to Israel.

I had a wonderful time, enjoying all the 'perks' of life in Canada - the abundant shops and convenient fast food, the efficient customer service, and the politeness of the Canadian people. It actually felt like culture shock at first to see people smiling and relaxed; to drive without being honked at continually and to have someone actually let me into their lane!

We enjoyed so many fun trips to the Rocky Mountains, taking in its stunning, magnificent scenery! We soaked in the Banff Hot Springs, took the kids to a farm to pet the animals, had picnics and campfires and even went to a real live Western rodeo!

Elbow Falls near Banff, Alberta

"Wow! I could handle more of this!", I though to myself... No sirens waking us up in the middle of the night, no terrorist attacks; I don't even have to watch my back here. But then it started to get cold, leaves began to change colors, and the summer season changed to fall. I began to think about booking my return ticket to Israel; but then my youngest daughter, Liat, six months pregnant at the time with her first child, pleaded with me to stay for 'just a little longer' until her baby was born. Her due date was December 11th.

"How could you leave just a couple of months before the baby was born when I need you?" she asked. Indeed, how? I debated my options, but the clincher came when Liat 'just happened' to hear someone in her apartment building speaking Hebrew, and this Israeli couple 'just happened' to be heading back to Israel, and 'just happened' to be subletting their 1 bedroom, fully furnished apartment - in the very same building - on the very same floor as Liat & her husband Yanai! Wow - you just can't make this stuff up!

Which meant that I'd be just down the hall when the baby was born and available to help out as needed, but still maintaining our respective private space. This seemed too good to be true and we had to admit that God had outdone Himself in providing the perfect place for me to stay temporarily to be on hand for the birth of this beautiful blessing - a new granddaughter! How could I say no?

There was only one thing - the sublet was for six months and they would not accept a shorter time period - which meant that I would be staying here for the entire winter! Oye vey! Could I handle it? Would I survive? Well, if this was the will of God then I needed to surrender and say 'not my will but Thine be done.' And so with fear and trepidation, I signed the lease for the next six months in Canada - in winter!

It started out ok... nice, warm apartment with a comfy bed, kitchen and bathroom; and fun to be just down the hall from Liat & Yanai. I could run up and down in my slippers, bringing 'meals on wheels' as Liat became too pregnant to cook. What a blessing to have been here for the birth of our little miracle baby - Esther Rose Whelan - born November 26th 2024!

There was, of course, the initial excitement and awe at this new little miracle we held in our arms. I felt happy and thankful to be here for this special time to welcome my precious new granddaughter into the world, to pray for her and to help out wherever needed. My days were filled with cheerful, practical service - helping keep the new Mom & Dad well fed, kitchen cleared and laundry overflow taken care of, as well as offering prayer and moral support. We all like to feel useful and to know we are appreciated as a blessing.

Also, December was Hanukkah, and we rejoiced together as a family, eating too many latkes (potato pancakes) and soofganiyot (jelly donuts), playing games and singing songs. I wore my special shirt that read, "In a world of darkness, be a light."

In a world of darkness be a light, Baby Esther's 1st Hanukkah

All too soon, however, the novelty began to wear off and 'winter blues' started to set in. As much as I enjoyed celebrating Hanukkah with my family, I felt immersed in the world of Christmas trees and Santa Claus. Even while grocery shopping, tunes like 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' played over the speakers. And practically every other food item, it seemed, contained some kind of biblically unclean food - whether pork, shellfish, or even gelatin hidden in Frosted Mini Wheat! - something I never had to worry about in Israel.

Also, as they settled into a routine with Baby Esther, Liat & Yanai didn't need me around as much (which is a good thing) but I started to feel a bit lost as to what I'm supposed to be doing here in the land of snow & ice??

We tried taking Lilly, their mini-golden doodle to the dog park but it was so icy we couldn't even walk on the trails. In fact, Yanai slipped and fell with the baby in the sling & we thanked God neither of them were hurt; but the ever present fear of falling on the ice loomed over me. As someone who has suffered through 2 hip replacements and a shattered elbow, the prospect of breaking something else from slipping on ice was definitely not appealing - and so I stayed inside most of the time.

Winter in a snowstorm in Canada

Everything started to feel dark and gloomy - dull and grey. Ah yes, I remember this all too well; which is why I never wanted to come back to winter in Canada. I began to feel trapped & claustrophobic in my apartment since I couldn't even open a window. I tried opening it a crack once just to get some fresh air inside and I immediately received a call from the building manager asking me to close it so that the pipes wouldn't freeze :(

Although I felt sure that this apartment was a 'God send', it was far from perfect. It faced onto a busy street and even with the windows shut tight, I still heard traffic noise, ambulances, trucks and motorcycles continually all day long. Instead of a view of green valleys and hills covered in pretty yellow flowers like in Israel, my view was now a Walmart parking lot, grey skies and dirty snow. sigh...

I've never been so much a city girl; and my entire being felt starved for the beauty of nature. Surely, I am not in the right place, Lord, I complained. Worst of all, there wasn't even a comfortable couch or chair in the apartment where I could just relax. I missed my comfy recliner from Israel where I could put my feet up and I missed my cat who would jump into my lap and purr contentedly. I missed being 'home'.

But in my spirit, I could hear the still small voice of God saying, "Hannah, I don't want you to get too comfortable here. This is simply a temporary provision."

Even so, I began to develop bad habits like staying up late at night watching Netflix or scrolling social media and sleeping in late in the morning - then needing coffee to wake up and function...even after 10 hours of sleep! "What is wrong with me??" I wondered.

The exhilaration of speaking in churches and congregations, engaging with people in a deep and meaningful way, when God seemed to be rolling out the red carpet for me and opening one door after another seemed a distant memory, fading like a mist. All those open doors of the summer now seem to have been closed shut and locked up tight in the winter.

I tried to intentionally count my blessings, to write in my gratitude journal and worship to praise music, but that 'spirit of heaviness' just wouldn't leave me. I got an EMF shield for the apartment, a grounding mat for my bed, ate healthy and got a good sleep but  I felt awful and looked worse.

I decided I needed exercise, so braving the ice, I would walk over to the common area, called the clubhouse, where I could use the machines and weights in the gym. I hated working out in the gym, but enjoyed getting out for a walk and could sit in the clubhouse with my laptop which was a nice break from the apartment.

There was one problem with this routine, however; every time I walked to the clubhouse, I had to walk past a big red sign that read, 'wrong way'. And I thought to my self, "Yup, that's me. I'm definitely going the wrong way. I should be heading back to Israel." But my lease would not be up for another three winter months - a brief moment in time that felt like an eternity.

On my way to the clubhouse

"Am I going the wrong way, Lord?" I asked? It certainly felt like it. But I knew that God had brought me here for a season for a reason. Sometimes what looks like the wrong way and what feels like the wrong way may actually be the right way in God's convoluted plan for our life. It may look like a set back; it may feel horrible, but it could be part of the plan to get us to our destination.

DIVINE DETOURS

God never takes us in a straight line. He often takes us from point A to B to F to R and back to C... How can a man understand his way? "A man plans his way but the Lord orders his steps." (Proverbs 16:9) Or as my Mom would say, 'People plan & God laughs." It sounds better in Yiddish: "Der Mensch Tracht, Un Gott Lacht,"

Taking the long way around

When God delivered the children of Israel from Egypt, he could have taken them on the most direct route, but instead he took them the long way around. Sometimes God will take us on 'Divine detours' which can make us wonder if His GPS is malfunctioning.

But God had a reason for taking the Israelites the wrong way - so that they would not turn back in fear if they ran into war right away.

God has a plan for our life and a route for us to get to our destination but it's not usually a linear path. It sometimes even includes pain and suffering. We need to trust that He is ordering our steps. He has a good reason for taking us the long way at times, even if we don't understand why we're here.

God sees the big picture and He knows the end from the beginning, so we need to trust in Him completely and not dare to lean on our own limited understanding: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

We need to continually check in with the Good Shepherd to make sure that we are hearing His voice and walking in paths that are in alignment with His will and timing.

God's promise is that if we will acknowledge Him in all of our ways, He will direct our paths.

The LORD says, “I will show you the best pathway for your life. I will guide you with My eye." (Psalm 32:8)

The Way of the Cross

When Yeshua submitted to God's will in going to the cross to suffer and die for the sins of humanity, it surely must have looked the like wrong way! Who would want to walk towards a tortuous death?? But He knew that, "He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day." (Matthew 16:21)

When Yeshua prophesied this to His disciples, Peter objected, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

But Yeshua rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:22-23) Another translation reads, "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."

Peter couldn't see that this was all part of God's plan. He was seeing things from a human point of view, not God's. If Yeshua had listened to him, He would have missed His destiny of being the Savior of the world.

It is so important to see things from God's perspective rather than just looking at situations and circumstances in the natural. In this walk of faith, we simply can't rely on logic or human reasoning, for as the righteous remnant, we are to walk by faith & not by sight.

People who followed Yeshua were not originally called Christians, but rather, 'people of the way'. Yeshua said, 'I am the way, the truth and the life.' (John 14:6) In a bold statement, He declared, "No one comes to the Father but through Me."

Following Yeshua, in the natural, may not look like the right way; in fact, in the natural it could look completely wrong. For some Jewish people who choose to follow Him, it could mean being rejected by their friends and family and even estranged from the entire Jewish community, kicked out of the synagogues, fired from work positions, being labelled a 'dangerous Christian missionary.' For some in Muslim countries, following Yeshua could mean exile or even death! Yeshua warned us to count the cost.

The way of the cross may look like the wrong way; but it is the most absolutely right way you will ever find.

Blooming Where we are Planted

If we read the story of Joseph in the Bible, we can see a young man of destiny, betrayed by his brothers, pushed into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused and languishing in prison from the age of 17 to 30. That's 13 years of wrong!! But God had a plan for Joseph to fulfill his divine destiny. Not only did this plan include personally vindicating Joseph and exalting him to a high position; but God also used Joseph to save a nation!

God's plans and purposes for your life (and mine) could be greater than anything we could ever think or imagine - but He can have some pretty strange ways of getting us there. That's where faith comes in. We need to trust God when everything seems wrong and nothing seems right.

Even as a slave in Potiphar's house and as a prisoner in an Egyptian dungeon, God favored Joseph so that he prospered in everything he did. God can surround us with His favor, even in unfavorable circumstances, so that we truly 'bloom where we are planted." Yes, we can be a light even in the darkest of places.

It's all a part of God's Plan

In the natural, the path God is leading us through may not make sense; it may involve pain, deprivation and suffering. Like Joseph, the way to our destiny may include betrayal, humiliation and injustice, but in the end Joseph came to understand that this also was a part of God's plan in order to save an entire nation.

When Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers, they were afraid of being punished for their sins, but (as a foreshadow of the Messiah), he forgave them and said,

"But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life....So now it was not you who sent me here, but God;" (Genesis 45:5,8)

Going our own Way

We are all like sheep, who have an annoying tendency to go astray, as is written in the prophet Isaiah, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)

God gives each of us free will; and we can intentionally choose to go the wrong way. God called Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach repentance so that the people may be spared from destruction. But there was one problem with this - Jonah didn't like the people of Nineveh and didn't want them to know God's mercy; so he hightailed it the other way. He took a boat in the opposite direction headed to Tarshish.

God didn't say, "Too bad, Jonah, you messed up and went the wrong way. That's it for you - you're finished in my books." No, God had His way in Jonah's life. He was thrown overboard and swallowed up by a huge fish. While in the darkness, in the stinky digestive system of the whale, Jonah had opportunity to reconsider God's offer.

In fact, God used Jonah in the belly of the whale as the only 'sign' he would give people - that he would be in the belly of the earth for 3 days and 3 nights before being resurrected (Matthew 12:38-42).

Jonah repented of going the wrong way and chose to do God's will - he made a complete u -turn and headed for Nineveh. God had an assignment for Jonah - a calling on his life that he needed to complete - not for his own sake but for the salvation of people from another nation, "for God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

This is something I've come to realize while semi-suffering in my winter apartment in Canada - IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME! God may lead us to a place that looks and feels wrong, because He has an assignment for us there. There may be a calling on our life in this place. It may not be ideal; it may be uncomfortable, it may even stink, but it may be for a season for a reason.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." (Eccl. 3:1)

I read a quote somewhere that went something like, "Contentment is seeing the beauty in every season." I thought about Paul's words, "I have learned the secret of being content in every situation...." (Philippians 4:12) And so even in my discontentment, I asked God to show me what He sees; to help me to see the beauty of this dreary season I am in.

At first I couldn't see anything but the walls of my apartment, the traffic, and the Walmart parking lot, but little by little I began to see. I once was blinded in my ignorance but now I see...

I see the beauty of snuggling a beautiful baby girl, feeling the softness of her skin and the wispy hairs on her head, hearing her contented sighs with a tummy full of her mother's milk. I see the beauty of having tea and lemon poppyseed cake with my daughter, who it seems not so long ago was my baby girl and is now the mother of a baby girl herself.

And I see the beauty of quiet time and empty space to do things that require quiet times and empty spaces - like writing this blog. I've started recording short videos to go along with each chapter of my book, and writing a study guide, hoping to eventually create an on-line course - things that I know I probably couldn't do once plunged back into the turmoil of the situation in Israel.

I want to encourage you, if you find yourself in a place that you didn't ever want to be in, in a place that feels uncomfortable and maybe just plain wrong - take heart. Trust that God has a plan and will get you to where you're meant to be. Yeshua is in the boat in the midst of our storms of life and He will get us safely to the other side. Have faith.

This world is not our true home; and so we may always feel a bit like a fish out of water here, but in whatever twists and turns our journey through life takes us, this one thing we can do - trust that God is ordering our steps and guiding us with His eye. If you feel lost, know that Yeshua is the Good Shepherd who leaves the 99 to seeks out and find the lost sheep.

And if we're going the wrong way, He has ways to get us back on track. Just ask Jonah!

Written by Hannah Nesher

In her apartment in Calgary, Alberta

January 12th 2025