A Matter of Faith...

By Carol Round

FOLLOWING GOD’S ROAD MAP”Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him.’” John 14:5-7 Have you ever found yourself lost in an unfamiliar city? I have.

I have had to stop and ask for directions. Even then I sometimes still end up lost. Don't ask me for directions unless you are familiar with local landmarks? I might tell you to go approximately ten miles, then turn left when you see Arby's on the corner. Hang a right at the next stoplight and look for a green truck parked in the drive of a red brick house on the left side of the road. Confusing? Not to me…unless the green truck has moved.
I am confused, however, if someone gives me directions to follow and tells me to head north when I reach the intersection of 3rd and Main. Is that right or left?
I am one of the directionally challenged. I am good at plotting my route if I am headed for a new destination. I can read the map, follow signs, and pray that there is no major road construction that messes up my carefully planned route. If there is, I can easily get lost if there are no detour signs.
On a group road trip, I have no trouble getting us to our destination if I have a navigator in the vehicle that is good at reading a map and giving me instructions. Even in a large city, I can whiz in and out of traffic and make the correct exit­­—most of the time—with the help of friends.

Not bad for a woman who put off getting her driver's license for a year after she was eligible because she was afraid to parallel park. I still avoid parallel parking.
Fear and a lack of direction in our lives can paralyze us. We can become so afraid of making a mistake or of taking a wrong turn, that we don't see the doors of opportunity to learn, to grow and to become the person that God created us to be.
Some of us are too proud to ask for directions and end up lost on a road to nowhere. We spend our lives searching for the right path but never find it.

We ignore signs of trouble and forget to stop along the way to seek help. When we come to a roadblock, instead of slowing down, some of us speed ahead ignoring the warning signs.
The best road map for life is God's word. When He is in the driver's seat, He will lead you safely through the detours and the potholes to arrive safely at your final destination.
Do you trust His directions? God not only knows where He is taking you, He knows how to get you there.