I’ve attended two funerals this week. I don’t know about you, but life events like that tend to thrust me into a nostalgic state of mind. I have decided to start sharing old inspirational posts with you from my very first blog. The blog I started when we were adopting JP from Guatemala. I loved that blog. My emotions ran high for about eighteen straight months. I have a folder full of posts written during that time. It seems wasteful for them to be collecting dust on a shelf in my room.

(Original post)

GPS

Isaiah 48:17 “… I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

Whoever came up with the GPS is a genius! We never have to worry about getting lost. The only thing I HATE is the woman who talks to you while you’re driving. So annoying. Heaven forbid you spontaneously choose another route. “Recalculating! Recalculating! Recalculating,” she screams!

Even though I cannot stand to hear the word, “recalculating,” I do understand its purpose. When you hear it, you know you’ve made a wrong turn. Although you may still reach your destination by taking your own path, it is not the path the GPS has selected for you. The route the satellite computer presents may not be the quickest, but you can drive comfortably knowing that you are not going to get lost. 

We can easily apply this same principle to our spiritual life. God has mapped out directions for all of us in His Word. While He certainly allows us to redirect ourselves and travel a different road, He does not promise a nice, quiet, safe trip. There will be many more road blocks, pot holes and traffic jams. And we will have to listen to the Holy Spirit urging us to “recalculate” around every corner. 

So, if you’re looking for a more peaceful drive, I suggest you remain on the road God has paved for you. He doesn’t promise us a trouble free trip, but I’m sure of one thing – you will NOT get lost! 

(Addendum, 12 years later)

While the premise of this post is still true, what happens when you’re not driving the car? I know God did not originally intend for me to be on the road I’m traveling. My current route is a direct result of another driver’s poor sense of direction. The good news? What I first thought was a Dead End, in reality, is just a Detour.

And I’ve chosen to make the most of the scenery along the way.