What Are You Looking For?

This morning I set my alarm and got up at 6 in order to attend a missions group meeting at 6:30. I placed my trust in my GPS and as I headed out into the rain I was pleased with the idea that I would be on time. I had never been to the restaurant before, but had seen a restaurant that shared the same name, so my mental image of what I was looking for planted itself firmly in my mind. It turns out that all restaurants named Peppermill do not look entirely the same. My GPS found the restaurant and directed me exactly where to go. When I arrived where it told me to go, I did not see the restaurant. At this point, my faith in my GPS began to fade and I assumed that somehow it had malfunctioned and I continued to drive in circles, muttering under my breath at the failed nature of technology. I spent the next 10 minutes driving in circles, hoping and actually praying that I would stumble across the right place. All this time, my GPS kept telling me to make a U turn, take a left, take a right, or do anything that would get me back to my original destination. Running out of options, I decided that I would once again entrust myself to the guidance of the GPS. I followed the arrows as it urgently directed me back to where I did not see the restaurant that I had pictured in my head. This time, my mind began to explore the possibility that the thing I had expected to find was different than what I was intended to find. I followed the GPS and eventually saw that the restaurant that I expected to be bold and blazing in it's advertisement of itself was tucked away neatly in the corner of a strip mall. My faith in my GPS was restored, and although I was late for the meeting, I had made it after all. How many times in our lives do we look at the signposts and expect that we know exactly what we are looking for? We stubbornly pursue the wrong direction and ignore guidance from the One who know where we have been and where we are going. (I know, it is a little trite to compare God to a GPS, but I am doing it either way:) We often take the wrong turn, sometimes unplug ourselves from the direction of our Guide and stubbornly press on in the absolute wrong direction. Our end goals may be wealth, status, friends, travel,sports or any other thing that we picture in our minds as the culmination of our journey. Know this, that a path has been chosen for you, the markings and arrows make it very clear where your destination lies. There is a plan for you. There is a destination for you. Don't waste time driving in spiritual circles, leaning on your own understanding, ignoring the blinking arrows that point you back to the right path. Trust that God is taking you where you need to go, and get rid of the distractions and misinformation that steer you away from His path. God, help us to focus on where you want to take us, and when we try to lean on our own understanding, be gentle in bringing us back to Your path.