I’m horrible at directions. Especially when it comes to East, West, South and North. I am constantly and consistently lost.
I recently bought a new GPS with updated maps. I needed it for our vacation trip to Myrtle Beach, and I need it next week while I’m in LA.
Starting out on our vacation, I figured we would head South toward “South” Carolina. Instead, my GPS sent me North toward Richmond. I was quite confused. But I put my trust in Jessie (the name of our GPS); and sure enough, she got us to our destination.
Sometimes life seems like that…….like in order to get someplace, God takes us a completely unexpected route than what we logically and logistically plan out. It can be quite disorienting. We think we understand what God is doing, and then something changes (for good or what seems to be, worse)–a chronic illness comes about, a fantastic youth minister because a senior pastor, our “best laid plans” turn to ashes before our eyes, or God calls us to do something quite out of our comfort zone and in a different direction than we thought life was taking us.
Just like I thought I knew which way “Jessie” would take me, I was shocked when she took me the completely opposite direction. But she is the expert and knows the roads and routes that I do not know. God is our expert–He knows what lays before us in ways we will never know or understand. I think that’s why I love the following verses so much:
Proverbs 3:5-6:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Just like I had to trust Jessie the GPS, I also have to trust my Lord with all my heart. I’ll tell you the truth–it’s easier to trust in Jesse than it is to trust in God. But God calls us to this and tells us to not lean on our own intellectual mindset and skills. Instead, we are to acknowledge Him–daily, hourly, minute by minute–and He will make straight the paths that seem so crooked right now. Things may come into focus and make sense eventually. Other things may never make sense. But He is the one directing our paths.
I love the part of the verse that says “In all your ways acknowledge Him”. We acknowledged Jessie during the entire trip—talking with her, thanking her, even arguing with her. God wants us to acknowledge Him in all our ways of life….to be in constant communication with Him, and to be in constant declaration to others of what God has done for us.
So as I prepare to take Jessie with me on this very stressful work trip to LA, these verses are my prayer tonight. I don’t know what the week holds, but He does. And He knows what your week holds, too. Let’s pray for each other that we will not lean on our own understanding, but acknowledge Christ in all that we do and say.