We all have special gifts and talents, and we all have weaknesses – or areas in our lives we’d like to improve, if you prefer.
While I can humbly recognize I have certain traits and abilities that are very useful and appreciated, I must admit there are also qualities about myself I’d rather change or not have, period.
One of those is my sense of direction – or lack thereof.
As a person who prides himself on being organized, there are few occasions when I actually lose something.
There are, however, many instances when I can easily get lost myself.
My geographic know-how is so sketchy my best friends once sarcastically named me Magellan, a joking nod to the Portuguese explorer of the early 16th century.
I can be so bad at finding my way either walking or driving that I hold no shame in asking a passer-by or entering a convenience store for directions, only to feel more confused and hopeless after receiving help.
It got to the point long back where I decided to stick to basics in my route selection, even if it meant using a path that was three times longer than the most efficient option.
Nowadays, though, my ability to find my way or get around from place to place is much better – thanks in large part to a GPS device I keep in my car glove compartment.
This small black square I stick to my windshield gives me several route possibilities, informs me of any delays like construction and even provides a precise arrival time at my destination.
Ah, if only life were this simple all the time.
In the hustle and bustle of daily activity where we can feel pulled in so many directions – as if we were the rope in a tug-of-war contest – it can be so challenging to find our way or keep ourselves centered.
With so many distractions and responsibilities, we can easily seem lost, failing to acknowledge our need for some sort of guidance to get us back on track.
It is during these difficult, confusing or frustrating times that we can remember to rely on Jesus as our personal version of GPS, providing us the way, the truth and the life that we crave so deeply. (John 14:6)
While it may seem monotonous to take the same route to work each morning or follow the same path home each time after visiting a friend, walking along the road to Jesus every day in our lives should never be considered boring.
Speaking of repetition, though, so often we may slip into our own habits or routines that we can quickly forget how God calls us to follow Him. (Deuteronomy 5:33)
Just as complacency in our driving can deprive us of new paths and better or easier access to our desired landing spot, we are reminded to ask God to recalibrate our lives, challenging us to grow and discover our fullest potential through whatever situations facing us.
To paraphrase the hit country music song Jesus, Take the Wheel, calling upon our Lord and Savior can give us renewed confidence as our JPS, as we can pray Jesus, please steer.
Having Jesus as our life’s compass can then ensure we are directed along a path of prosperity and happiness, bringing us ultimately to a perfect parking spot of salvation in Heaven.
God's Giveaways 