When You Can’t Find Your Way

My hubby and I were almost lost in the abyss of the Georgia backwoods never to be heard from again because of Google.

Okay, I may be exaggerating just a little.

When traveling, Alan and I frequently use our smart phones with Google maps to find our way to places. So we were following the directions last weekend to find our way to a hotel for our 15th anniversary get-away. We were driving down a dark, lonely road looking for our turn. According to the phone, we were quickly approaching the street where we were to turn right.

But when we got to the street to turn, it looked more like a dead-end or a driveway. It was a dirt road. And we weren’t in a great part of town. But we turned anyway, apprehensive.

We bumped down this gravel road deep in the woods with thick lush close by on either side of the car. It was late and the headlights illuminated just what was ahead of us. There were no streetlights anywhere. We drove past a cast-away mattress and some other trash. My heart raced. The road was so narrow we probably could have reached out and touched limbs on either side of the car. Nervous, I held my breath hoping not to run into another car or the boogieman or South Georgia’s Big Foot.

Finally, we came out of the woods to a paved road. We were supposed to go straight across, but there were large barricades keeping us from going the way my phone directed. Thankfully, we were able to navigate another route and found our way to the hotel.

I tell you all this to tell you one important thing. Maps aren’t all that.

During a time in my life where I had drawn close to God, many doors opened (lots to do with writing). I caught a glimpse at where God was taking me and I ran with open arms through the doors.

There was just one problem. I became focused on the map, asking God, “Where do You want me to go? Which direction should I go in?” My focus was on asking God to show me the right way.

But recently I read this verse: I am the way and the truth and the life. John 14:6 NIV

And I realized Jesus doesn’t point me in the right direction; He IS the right direction. The first time I caught a glimpse of what God was doing with my life, it was because I was looking for God, not because I was looking for the life map.

It’s easy to get focused on what God wants to do in our lives – which doesn’t really seem like a bad thing a first glance. But the problem is this – the focus is on us, not Him. When we realize that Jesus IS the way. The focus is put back on Him.

It’s not about what I can do for God. It’s about what God can do through me. See the difference?

So if you are bumping up and down on a backwoods road and are feeling lost, don’t focus on the map so much. Stop and look up instead.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NIV