"How Do I Get There From Here?"

Recently, I was in Ft. Worth, TX officiating a wedding for a friend. Though Jackie and I lived there while attending seminary, I struggled finding my way around. Much had changed in the thirty-plus years since we called it home. Once familiar landmarks were no longer existed, new roads had been built, and the city had expanded in size and traffic. A place that I once commuted about with ease, now required map. In fact, during that weekend, I got lost three times and on one occasion, I had to follow my friend's vehicle just to assure my arrival at the my desired destination. I am seriously considering the purchase of GPS device. There were times that I needed to know things like: "Where Am I?" and "How do I get there from here?."

Have you ever been there, in the search of God's will for your life? For many believers I have known, the pursuit of God's will has been a struggle.

Some have wished that they had one of those maps like those at the mall, that says "You are here," and as you look a the mall diagram of the all stores, you can choose your own path to get to your desired destination.

Others feel the search for God's will is like a game of connect the dots. If I do this, then this will happen. If I do this next, then God will reveal the clue to the next step in the journey. Eventually, if you are successful in connecting all the dots, then you will win the prize of knowing God's will for your life.

I really don't think God desires to play "Hide and Seek" with us nor does He want us to become frustrated in our pursuit of His will for our lives. In fact, He desires that we experience life in the center of His will. That's why He provides us with these words found in Jeremiah 29:11-13.

"I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

I consider this "God's Positioning System." If you want to know where you are and where you are going as a child of God, this passage helps you along the journey.

God Has a Plan for Your Life...and it's Good! Not always easy, not without challenges but always good for us. Joseph in the Old Testament had many years of difficulty, but eventually he had a life that only God could have dreamed for him. God's will for our lives is life at its best. Fulfilling. Purposeful. Productive.

Don't Seek the Destination, Seek the Driver. The most common mistake we make in the pursuit of God's will is seeking God's will, instead of seeking God. It is human nature to want the map with the marked destination. That way we can make our plans on how we want to get there. We will look for shortcuts to get us there quicker, or be tempted to take side trips along the way. We are,also, more likely to get stressed out trying to keep up with the traffic while searching for the signs to stay on course.
It is God's desire for us to leave the driving to Him. He knows the destination and the best way to get there. He is there with us to handle any hardships. Most important of all, we can enjoy our fellowship with Him and the journey, as well.

Climb into the Back Seat. In Henry Blackaby's book, Experiencing God, I have learned that a relationship with God is developed by first, getting to know Him... which leads to our believing Him... which leads us to trusting Him... which leads us to obeying Him... which in turn leads to our experiencing Him as we pursue His will in our lives. Start by getting to know God through time in His Word and in prayer. As your relationship with Him develops, you will be more willing to simply climb in the backseat and say "OK, Lord, I'm ready to go." Just leave the driving to Him.