Decisions need to be made every day. We even have to
decide where to look for guidance in making those decisions. Where do you turn
for help?
People frequently rely on technology for answers.
Advice on almost anything from creating a tasty Beef Stroganoff to caring for a
sick pet can be found on the Internet. The Web also provides resources on how
to find a perfect mate, get a better job, and invest our money.
While driving, many of us use some form of
navigation assistance (or a global positioning system - GPS). After we put the
address of our destination into our cellular phone or car receiver, a pleasant
voice instructs us to continue ahead, turn left, or turn right. If we deviate
from our instructions, the system knows it, and immediately tells us. Then step
by step, it gives instructions on how to get pointed in the right direction.
Wouldn’t it be great if God provided us with a
personal GPS? We could call it God’s
Perfect Strategy system. The beautiful box, designed to fit individual
style and taste, would sit next to our bed. To receive guidance for the day,
our only responsibility would be hitting a button each morning. God would
speak, and we’d know exactly what to pursue, and what paths to avoid. Better
yet—if the system was small enough to throw into a purse, or attach to a belt
loop, we could take it with us. Even more convenient—a downloadable phone app.
There wouldn’t be any doubt as to following his plan and staying on the right
track.
If only it were so easy . . .
What should we do when our job is terminated and the
bills are behind? What do we do when a teenager continues to badly influence
siblings and disrupt family life? Or our heart has been torn apart by someone
we’ve unconditionally loved for years?
What about our dreams to pursue a passion or at
least something different than what we’ve been doing for years? How do we find
purpose that fills an ache within?
God can speak to our hearts through prayer. And his
word, the Bible, is just as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.
Since the beginning of time, people have required shelter, food, and clothing.
They’ve battled sickness, and they’ve lost their children to war. Their hearts
have been broken. Their dreams have been crushed.
Experienced friends can provide wisdom. A gut
feeling nudging us in one direction may be the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
But we shouldn’t forget to seek the One who is all knowing and wants only the
best for us.
The Lord will
guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will
strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring
whose waters never fail. (Isaiah 58:11 NIV)
One evening, as I drove home after a long work day,
the rain pelted my car’s windshield. Without the help of wipers, I would
have been blind to the direction the road was taking and could have easily
missed a turn, or moved onto a part of the road I had no desire to be on.
A few drops of rain on the windshield didn’t hinder
my ability to see where I was going. But if more were allowed to accumulate,
the view of the road would have become distorted.
A few distractions may not cause us to stray from
the path God has chosen for us. But, if we continue to allow more things to
become between us and our relationship with him, we can easily start to make
poor choices. We may take a wrong turn because we’re no longer seeing clearly.
Show me your way, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide
me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you
all day long. (Psalm 25:4 NIV)
God desires to provide the guidance you need today,
and every day—no matter what the situation. You can trust that.
How
might thinking of prayer as a way to connect to God’s navigational system help
you in finding direction?
Dawn
No comments:
Post a Comment