Destinations

“I think if we take a left up here, that will be exactly where we need to go!” I knew it was the wrong direction, but thankfully, I have learned to drop my hands and not say very much unless I am asked. Today, Bill will be the first to admit that he has no sense of direction and that getting to any destination before GPS was a “nightmare” for him! In fact, I love GPS as well. It has prevented many arguments and stress in our home or I should say, our car. GPS has also benefited me with peace of mind as I travel down the highway to new places. At 52, I have learned one thing from experience, either you are “gifted” with a sense of direction or you are not.

Andy Stanley, one of my all time favorite pastors, says that God never puts two people together who both have “no sense of direction” I agree! Andy also suffers from the same thing Bill does. I quote Bill here, “I would get lost in a paper bag!” It is true that my husband has many gifts but a “sense of direction” is not one of them. We have always gotten to our destination, sometimes with arguing, many hours later, and not without much frustration, etc. But today, with Bill’s admission of “lack” in this area (dropping his pride) and waving the white flag, plus incorporating GPS, getting to our intended destination is a “piece of cake!”

We as a family can laugh now over the not so funny paths and stress of long ago. God brought healing. Amen and Amen!!! I am just wondering if anyone reading this can identify??!! The generations to come will not have to endure this kind of stress mainly because of GPS and the infamous, “SIRI!”

I wish everyone would plug in to God’s GPS for their life or listen to His voice the way people listen to “Siri”! It is a choice. It is available to anyone–God’s GPS and God’s voice. It gives perfect directions. It will even course correct if you make a wrong turn just like the car GPS…but we have the choice of whether to engage and follow!

Funny, in life, we can be traveling down a path/road/choices and we have an intended destination in our mind–a life of peace, success, joy, happiness, prosperity, health…family–but often our “directions are totally wrong”. Instead of plugging in to God’s GPS, or His map and created purpose for our lives, we step out and make choices and turns, disregarding direction and where it is taking us. We allow emotions, feel good now, short-term fun to dictate our turns which can SEVERELY ALTER the destination we have in our minds.

Rest assured. All paths have a destination.

Often, the choice is the path of least resistance or of the immediate fun of here and now. We don’t even understand the concept of delayed gratification. Nor do we realize that as we travel this path not only will we NOT get to “the destination we have in our minds,” but we will run into a dead end. Finding ourselves marred in mud and spinning the wheels of our lives. Or we run right off the cliff that is around the curve of the path we have chosen, the blind curve. It is sudden and we don’t even see the “Cliff”. Often, it lands us in places of heartache and points of no return.

Let me give you two real life accounts of two young men who are the exact same age. They desire the same destination and have verbalized it. They are both handsome, talented, smart, articulate. One is choosing the path of “wisdom” that Solomon talks about in Proverbs. The other is choosing “their own understanding”. Two very different paths.

The first: Good looking kid with great potential and resources. How do I know this? Well, I watch his actions. Actions are always preceded by thoughts. Always! His line of thinking is something like this:

“I am going to live for the weekends…for my friends and good times. I won’t drink during the week but the weekends are mine to spend however I want. I will travel to destinations where the next good time is. It doesn’t affect me if I stay up all night on the weekends, or drink too much or engage in casual sex. It is no big deal and there are no consequences involved” (only because he doesn’t experience it immediately).

There is no thought of saving money, nor improving one’s mind by reading or maybe even taking courses on line or at night to enhance learning and knowledge. Favorite TV shows and sports are where it’s at! Nothing extra is done in the form of learning except showing up from 8 to 5 and clocking in! There is no thought of going above and beyond with his actions. In his mind he wants to be highly successful, healthy, attract the girl of his dreams, have lots of friends, and have a family one day. He thinks the path he is choosing will get him there! He has NO regard for the fact that the sum total of his choices NOW have consequences LATER.

Now, person 2: has the same intended destination and desires as the first, but the path he is choosing is very different. He currently has a job. He offers to work on Saturday or late or do extra stuff just because. He understands the key principle of success requires going above and beyond. He has decided at a young age that he doesn’t know very much. On his own he has chosen to attend leadership conferences seeking wisdom.

He has taken online classes and spends his time at night, and some weekends, studying to improve himself and gain knowledge. He is considering graduate school. He has even asked someone who was very successful at arriving at their destination to mentor them. He realizes that he can learn from others who have been there and done that!

He also realizes he wants to find the “right” girl to marry. One with morals, hard work ethic, loves Jesus and will be a great mother one day. He wants a girl that demands a guy to respect her because she values and respects herself. He is giving much thought to where he might meet that “right girl”. Church? Gym? A friend? He also realized real quick…YOU ATTRACT WHAT YOU ARE. So he takes an inventory of himself and actually looks at “God’s truth–what the Bible says and uses it as a mirror in his life.

The way he has chosen to do this is by joining a church, joining and attending a small group and weekly he evokes MAJOR SELF-DISCIPLINE in his life by examining and taking inventory of his choices. He actually takes the time to look back and ask himself, “Am I making the ‘right turns’ or am I haphazardly relying on what I think or want for the moment? Where do I need more self-control, patience, and the rest of the fruits of the spirit?

Which path do you think will get to the desired destination? Which path of choice has road blocks, pot holes and blind cliffs????? All paths have destinations.

The trouble is that sometimes “PRIDE” gets in the way. Thinking you know. Leaning on your own understanding. Not listening to directions from someone that would know because they are wiser. They have traveled those paths and gotten to the desired destination. Or the GPS is screaming, “Course correct. Make a u-turn.” But for whatever reason you continue on the wrong path!

God created every single person in the universe. He has a created purpose for everyone. Some have more advantages than others which can be a blessing or a curse. It doesn’t have to be. God gives us free will and a choice. He has a plan. We can ignore it or we can choose to follow it. We can listen to HIS voice screaming, or whispering, “COURSE CORRECT” and make that u-turn.

When you make the course correction, it may take some time to get back to “YOUR MAIN” highway. It may depend on how far down that wrong road you traveled. But, God promises to be there and direct you back to the “Highway” specifically created for you. AT some point, if there is no course correction, the DESTINATION that you don’t want is inevitable. It is not a destination that anyone would willingly choose.

The book of Proverbs in the Bible is full of directions, warning signs, GUARANTEES, green lights, caution lights and red lights for life. If followed, it can be a “highway” of GREAT destinations or course corrections. It is a choice. A WISE choice for anyone, no matter the age, is to engage in God’s GPS for life. The following is just a tiny portion of Proverbs. Meditate on it today.

Proverbs 2:1-11, “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you CALL OUT for INSIGHT and CRY ALOUD for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the FEAR OF THE LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD GIVES WISDOM; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds SUCESS in store for the upright, he is a SHIELD to those whose walk is blameless, for he GUARDS the COURSE of the just and PROTECTS the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—EVERY GOOD PATH. FOR WISDOM WILL ENTER YOUR HEART, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will PROTECT you, and understanding will GUARD you.” [emphasis mine]

I urge you to share this today. To encourage people to know where the perfect GPS is found for their lives. We cannot control whether or not they follow. But, if we love those who are choosing the wrong direction, it is our job to lovingly point to proper directions. It is not our job to condemn, just to inform. Pray and lead by example.

Even when you think someone isn’t listening, they are often watching.

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