Stopping for Directions - Martin Wiles

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Psalm 143:8 NLT

Stopping for directions sometimes took a great deal of courage. 

In the days before GPS systems, smart phones, and Siri, finding an unfamiliar location could be challenging. Filling stations offered maps to travelers. Each state map had an inset of the largest cities and showed most of the downtown area’s street names. If you were looking for county roads, you were out of luck. No 911 system had been established. In the country, you were assigned a route and box number—which wasn’t displayed anywhere. 

Asking for directions before the technology boom was a common thing—at least for women. I often sent my wife into a store or filling station for directions—but rarely did I go in. Nor were other men likely to stop. Pride was my issue—and probably theirs. To enter a store and ask for directions was unmanly. I’ve been guilty of riding around for 30 minutes—wasting precious fuel in the process, rather than admit I didn’t know how to get where I needed to go. 

Though the psalmist didn’t have any wheels, he wasn’t afraid to admit his need for God’s direction. He got lost often on his journeys, and he knew only God could point him in the right direction. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and let Him guide your paths was his motto.

Pride will cause many missteps in life, and getting directions from God is one of them. If I think I have it all figured out, there’s no need to consult God to see if I really do. Chances are I don’t and will find myself driving around in circles, making the same wrong turns. 

Fear of what others will think will also keep me driving when I should stop for directions. What will the convenience store owner think if I—a man, stop for directions. Really, it shouldn’t matter. Some will always think I’m foolish for following what I’m convinced is God’s will…and when I’m continually praying about every detail in my life. 

Rather than being foolish, stopping for directions is the smartest thing to do. It saves time and fuel. It also saves from sinful detours and foolish decisions. 

Are you getting directions from God on a regular basis?

Prayer: Father, give us courage to consult You on every life journey we take. 

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