Taking the Unpopular Road

It was the day the results were going to be released… I remember how nervous I was, pacing up and down the living room in my house in Bamenda (Cameroon). I had written the national exams that will determine if I will have a pass to go to the university or not. All my friends and I could think of or talk about in the past two years was university! We couldn’t wait to finally have some sense of “freedom”. So these results were very…. very important to me! They just had to be good…. and good they were. I finally got my results and I had done pretty well. So there it was, i got the pass and oh was I so ready for University! However there was one more thing to think about… What to study in University…

Back then, there was a system put in place by the university to select students for different departments… students who got between 5-10 points for example will be assigned to say the department of Economics, those getting 10 and above will be assigned to the department of Accounting…etc. I happened to fall in the 10 and above group so “naturally” it was assumed that I’ll do accounting. Most people who fell in that group went for accounting so I was advised to queue in and join the flow. Besides the Business field was opening up and with a degree in Accounting I would place myself in a good position for a good career in future… That was the popular opinion… So I went with it. I never really took out time to think about it you know… I just went with it because that’s what everyone else was doing. Eventhough I did enjoy doing Accounting and I’m glad I got a degree in that discipline, looking back now I think I would probably have been more intentional about what I wanted and maybe would’ve done something different…It just never occured to me because it was the popular option.

Taking the unpopular road isn’t so popular because it’s scary and could get lonely

However if we’re going to do something great in life, along the way we’ll have to take an unpopular turn. Everyone wouldn’t be taking that turn and that might make us doubt if it’s the right way at all… but here are a few things you should remember when you get to that junction and a few reasons why you should take that unpopular road when God leads you there

1. Remember your purpose

One thing everyone needs to find in order to live a fulfilled life is purpose… When you find your purpose all you’ll desire and want will line up with it and you’ll be ready to sacrifice much more than you can imagine for it. So taking that unpopular road will be much easier because purpose is pushing you on.

2. Take a step of Faith

Faith is acting and believing without any tangible reason to. Taking the unpopular road will require some Faith! You have to trust God and have Faith that he’s leading you along the right path…. even when you can’t see the end of the road.

3. Most great people had to take an unpopular road

When you get to that junction and your scared to take that turn, get inspiration from those who have dared to do it before and come out great on the other side.

4. Trust and Obey

Sometimes all we need to do is obey God when he says turn… Just trust and obey

It’s my prayer for you and for me that we won’t be afraid to take that unpopular turn. Eventhough it’s no guarantee that that road might take you straight to the your expected end… keep taking more turns till you get there. If you get to a dead end, Trust God (He’s parted the sea before), keep your hope alive and work hard till you get there.

But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
Exodus 14:29NIV