Going in Circles?

I drove around Black Mountain and Asheville, NC recently. By the grace of God, I had GPS on my phone. I could find the places I needed to find with the push of a button, guiding me each step of the way. Before GPS, we used paper maps to get where we needed to go. If we didn’t have a paper map, we simply twisted and turned until we stumbled upon something.

Ever feel like you are wandering in the wilderness in your life? Recently, I have felt that way. Seems like every twist and every turn leads to more wooded areas, a deeper dive into nowhere. Being in such a place can be frustrating and can lead us to wonder why we cannot find our way out of the wilderness and back to a place where a destination is in sight. In fact, even earlier today, I asked my wife, “Why is it that I fail at everything in life?” The question posed was not a true assessment of my life but was a statement towards the idea that I feel like I am constantly running in circles.

You have probably been in the same place at some time in your life. Life can be frustrating and overwhelming when it feels like we are going nowhere or that every road seems to lead to further desolation or disappointment. But there is hope. There is hope in the Lord. As I thought about these things today, I turned to the place I needed to turn to find peace for my soul. There it was – “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. I have solemnly sworn to keep Your righteous judgments. I am severely afflicted; Lord, give me life through Your word.” (Psalm 119:105-107 HCSB)

The GPS of life is the Word of God, leading us out of the darkness and the wilderness by illuminating the path that the Lord has cleared for us. When we are wandering around in circles, often it is due to charting our own course and forgetting that we need God to lead us. When we begin to feel defeated and depleted, it often comes as we neglect to find the life that comes from immersing ourselves in the Word of God. The Bible guides us to the place where we were created to be and it breathes life into the depths of our souls as it reminds us that God is with us.

I share this with you tonight so that you understand that we all go through these feelings and through these struggles. I share this with you so that you and I can dive into the Word of God together, starting with the 119^th Psalm and be swept away by a God who loves, who guides, and who puts back together the broken pieces of life. Tonight, will you continue wandering in the wilderness or will you go to the Word of God to allow God to lead you? Let’s get back on track together.