How will I get there?
Will I make it?
Who will come with me?
Will I travel alone?
Whether you consider it a midlife crisis or careful contemplation at any age, there comes a time in everyone’s life when we wrestle with direction. Which way do we go? The wisdom of Solomon urges,
“Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:26-27 NIV)
Why isn’t the path just laid out before us with neon billboards and bright lane stripes? Solomon is saying we have the gift of making a choice. One of the proudest moments of my life came from one of the most challenging: graduate school. A year-long program and limited resources forced me to hold down not one or two, but three jobs while meeting the demands of graduate work. From a cashier at a major retailer to a night clerk at a hotel and a shelf stocker at a hardware store (where I would occasionally operate a hot dog stand), every moment of my day was accounted for. I averaged about 4 to 5 hours of sleep before the day would call me to rise and survive. The path required endless grinding without fail. Ironically, the work ethic is not my source of pride; instead, my faith on octane is the reason I look back on that season with a great sense of accomplishment. As I ran the race, I was praying, fasting and paying attention. Where was God in all of that struggle? Ahhh, there He is, I would often say to myself and then set my compass accordingly.
We’re instructed to consider our path, to weigh our options because He wants us to choose. Ultimately, He wants us to choose Him. Consider this translation of Proverbs 4:26:
“Watch your step and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.” (Proverbs 4:26-27 MSG)
Instead of asking where am I going, consider where is God on the road stretched out ahead. There are no wrong turns when our eyes are fixed on Him. Distractions, disappointments and detours may come, but they don’t impede the driver who tied their destiny The One, who made the journey possible.
