“Everybody ends up somewhere in life. A few people end up somewhere on purpose.” Andy Stanley
As you can probably imagine, driving was quite an experience when we lived in Brazil. The signs are in Portuguese. Two lane streets usually become three lanes as drivers pass each other in an attempt to get to where they are going first. Motorcycles use any available space to pass, cutting in and around cars with no apparent concern for their lives.
Thankfully, I purchased a good GPS unit before we moved down there. I downloaded the Brazilian maps and it worked great. Most of our regular destinations were programmed in. After being in Curitiba for a few years, we were able to get most places without the GPS. Every now and then, though, we would find ourselves in unfamiliar territory. This was especially disconcerting at night when you realized you were not in the best part of town and had no idea where you were.
At moments like that, the GPS’s value is seen. I knew that no matter where I was, all I had to do was select “Home” and the little computer would direct me from where I was to where I needed to be. I think that life is kind of like this. Sure, I have a vision for my life. I know where I want to be and what I want to be doing.
The problem is that sometimes in life, we end up in the wrong part of town. Sometimes it is because we have made bad choices. Most of the time, however, I think it is just because we don’t have our internal GPS programmed. If I am going to stay on track for my life, I need to have a clear vision of where I want to end up.
If you are a Christian, this should involve prayer as you develop a vision for your life. What is God’s plan for you? The writer of Proverbs says this: “Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.”
In driving and in life, it is good to have our route marked out for us. It is good to keep looking ahead and not at where we have been. It is especially important that we not allow ourselves get sidetracked from arriving at the place God has planned for our lives.
What do you do when you feel that your life has gotten a little off-track?
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