It is in our nature to be dreamers and schemers. But it is quite a sobering thought if we believe Solomon's observation: "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."
We generally live as if we are in the driver's seat of Life. Dreaming our dreams and following our schemes, we are surprised when our life takes a sharp left turn or careenes out of control. Sometimes it
doesn't seem to matter what we do with the steering wheel, we're just not going get this thing back under our control.
God reminds us that mysterious twists and turns are always waiting on the road up ahead. You can't just plug Life into Mapquest and get the most direct route. It is more complicated than that.
Perhaps it would help us to factor a few truths into our route planning. For example, none of us really understands all that God has in mind for us. Of course, He knows, but He's not telling.
Sometimes we're traveling to fast and we need to put on the brakes, turn off the engine, and just take time to listen for the voice of God. Often it cannot be heard over the roar of the racing engine.
At other times, maybe we may need to keep moving forward and simply trust God to guide us when it is time to alter the route. And what if we miss a turn? Like a good GPS, the Spirit of God has no problem getting us back on track again.
Surely it is good to plan, dream dreams, and live our lives as best we can. But we're not alone on this journey. God and many others around us want to participate in our travels as well. Certainly God won't make all of our daily decisions for us, but He does want to have His say. And let's not forget that there are good friends and kindred spirits who want to help us along the way.
Solomon saw that God has more to do with the outcomes, disappointments, and challenges of our lives than we readily accept. Factoring this truth into our plans and learning to relax into His loving grace allows us to live with less anxiety as well as less self-praise.
In the end, this is all a matter of trusting in God's good heart. He really does intend to do us good. God isn't like a man that He would make promises and then not keep them.
It was through sign language that the amazing Helen Keller once said, "Life is a daring adventure or nothing." Take a cue from Helen and dare to embrace the adventure of Life. Unlike Helen, you ARE fully able to see and hear. So be sure to check out the view around you and listen to the amazing sounds along the way, even when you're traveling down a side road feeling a bit lost. My friend, you may indeed be lost. Nevertheless, your God is never lost and He knows where He's taking you.
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