The Right Direction
Don’t you just love the new phone apps that give you turn by turn instructions to wherever you want to go? After only living in my current town about 8 months, I still don’t know where everything is. So, when I’m heading out to someplace new, I plunk an address into my phone, click “route” and then the familiar recorded voice guides me to my destination. If I happen to take a wrong turn, the voice is more than happy to let me know, and get me headed in the right direction once again! Easy, comforting and clear instructions. Wouldn’t it be nice if following God were just as clear? Sometimes I would just love to hear, “Wait, Joan. You need to turn around and go that way. My plan for you is down the road over here!”
Well, guess what? God is more than happy to get us headed in the right direction, too! He doesn’t want us to go the wrong way and get lost or spend our time going in circles. However, if we do, He’ll carefully lead us back again. I know you’re wondering, just as I have been, how we know which way God wants us to go. First, we need to be sure we are listening for His voice and not to the confusing noises in our heads. We need to lean in closely and listen for His every word. The good news is that the more time we spend with Him, in His word, in prayer and in worship; the easier it will be to recognize His voice.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NLT)
The road map for our life is written within the pages of the Bible. In it we find the “rules for the road”, so to speak. However, if you are like I am, you want specifics. “Should I take that job?” “Is this the right house for us?” “Where does God want me to serve?” I’d love for God to sit down next to me on the couch and tell me exactly what He wants me to do, step by step, turn by turn, so there will be no question at all. However, following God also takes faith. In faith, we step out in one direction and then listen for His next instructions.
What I have been learning recently is having courage and stepping forward in the direction we believe God is telling us to go is not as scary as I previously thought. I used to try to get the whole plan figured out before I even started moving forward. But, all that did was keep me stuck where I was, too afraid to take a chance. Now I’m learning when I take that first step and then stop and listen again, God will let me know which way to go next.
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)
Does He place a road block in front of us? It could be that He is telling us to turn the other direction. Does He shut a door? Go through the next one. God will guide us one step at a time. He will let us know when we’ve made a wrong move and redirect us to the right one. We don’t need to see the entire map for the journey. We only need to lean in and listen as we step out in faith.
Leaning in, Joan
We have been through times where we weren’t sure what was the right decision, but went with God’s peace. Other times I would try to plan it all out and it only ended in turmoil. God is so good isn’t He?