God's GPS

In my last blog, I mentioned that I would be exploring the topic that I am calling, “God’s GPS.” I have had many issues arise lately related to the subject of direction. As Christians, we don’t have to wander aimlessly through life because God desires to direct us according to His will. I am using the GPS as an analogy. We use a GPS to provide directions when we are traveling to unfamiliar locations. The Global Positioning System tells us where we are, where we are going, the best way to get there and when we can expect to arrive. I would like to change the letters for our purposes to stand for God’s Protective System. This system assures us of Grace, Protection and Sustenance because there is always protection and provision in the will of God. It is easy to take a course of action or make a decision based on what we feel is right or based on current circumstances. However, just because it looks right or feels right doesn’t always mean that it is right. Proverbs 14:12 states, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” I've learned to say to God, “I don’t want the way that seems right; I want the way that is right.” 

In order for the GPS to get us to our destination, we have to enter the address for where we are going. In our analogy, the GPS is activated as we follow the instruction in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” This means that we lay aside our pre-conceived ideas and plans and allow God to lead us.  

One thing I love about using a GPS is that it re-routes me when I get off track. After a wrong turn, the voice immediately comes on and says, “re-routing.” Oh how I appreciate the “re-routings” of God.  At first, I may not be happy about them when I am heading in a direction that I believe is right. Nevertheless, when I obey His leading, I end up exactly where He wants me to be while avoiding the consequences of a bad decision. To give you a practical example of how this works, I’ll share something from my own life.

Several years ago, I was believing God for a job. I had a list of things that I needed related to the job, including pay range. I interviewed for a job that fit all of my qualifications. The first interview went well, and I was called back for a second interview. I was then asked to come back so that they could obtain necessary information for a background check.  At this point, I just knew this was my job! A few days later, I received a letter in the mail that I did not get the job. I was extremely disappointed. (If you remember the episode in the sitcom Good Times when Florida was trying to cope after James’ funeral, you will get an idea of my reaction.  Replace the punch bowl with a dozen eggs, remove the profanity, and you’ll get the picture!) Sometime after that ordeal, I was informed about another job in a field I had never heard of. I applied, interviewed and was offered the job.  The only hitch was that it did not quite meet the pay qualifications that I needed. However, the Holy Spirit directed me to take the position and told me that there was more to it than I could see.  I had no idea what that meant, but I followed His direction. A little over a month later, an unexpected 6% increase was given across the board. Additionally, the next year, I received a job reclassification and a substantial raise. I knew none of this when I accepted the job, but God did. This happened because as I was headed down a road that was not God’s best for me, He re-routed me to my current position.  Now I can look back and be grateful for the divine “re-routing.” 

This is just one of many examples that I can share about how God has intervened and led me in various instances in my life. I encourage you to allow God to speak to your heart about every decision you are facing no matter how large or small it may be.  In Job 23:10, it states that He knows the way that we take. That means that He not only sees where we are; He knows the final destination, and He has the plan to get us there. His GPS is 100% accurate, so activate it today and get His direction for your life.

Please feel free to share your experiences with following God’s GPS in the comments or on the Facebook Page! https://www.facebook.com/wordbasedliving