Turn Right at the Intersection

Some time ago, I was driving to the public library, but I was not 100 percent certain on which street it was located. I was coming from a different direction than usual, so I was uncertain of the way to get there. I put the address in my GPS and proceeded to follow its instructions on the best way to reach the library. As I was driving, I discovered it was taking me to a location I was certain was not the library. Now, I can be directionally challenged sometimes, but this fact does not prevent me from ignoring my GPS on occasion.

Nevertheless, in this case, I went to the location it gave, grumbling at the GPS all the way there. When I arrived at the destination, I discovered it was the senior center, not the library. I drove into the parking lot but did not see any sign for a library, just the senior center. I informed my GPS that it was wrong, turned around, and drove to where I knew the library was located. I was so proud of myself when I found Public Library displayed in bold letters across a beautiful, old stone building. I parked my car and smugly walked up to the entrance of the building. That is when I saw another sign. In the window, a colorfully lettered sign read, “The library is now at the senior center.” I had been so certain I was on the right path. The first few signs even told me that my thinking was correct. But the voice in my car was telling me to head in a direction that made no sense to me. The final sign confirmed for me that the GPS had been correct all along. Sometimes God gives us directions that make no sense to us. Everything in our environment is clearly telling us to go one way, but God is giving us different directions.

It is especially puzzling if God has led us down a certain path before, and now He is advising us to change direction. He can see something we cannot.

He is present and relevant in our lives now.

How much time and aggravation I would have saved by believing the GPS directions the first time! How much time and aggravation could we save by believing and following God’s directions the first time?

Annette M. Barnes