Road Signs

"You're going to end up at the destination of the road you are on no matter what your intentions are." ~Jeff James

 Read Proverbs 7. Right now. Before you go any further. It's ok, I'll wait  ----------------

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.
First of all, I am so incredibly thankful for the people in my life. This theme has come up in three totally different conversations with three totally different people, so I dubbed it an important topic to talk about. The above quote is that from the pastor of my church in Hoover. Even though I can't be there every week like I so wish I could, the sermons are posted online! Hooray for technology!!

At first glance this quote sort of seems like a no brainer when you think about our transportation and the fact that every road has a destination. You may not leave the house with the intention to go anywhere, but if you get on the wrong path there is a destination; albeit it may not be where you wanted to end up.

The same is true of our spiritual lives. We are all on a path. And sometimes it is hard to know where you are going. One minute we may be cruising down the highway and the next thing you know you are in unfamiliar territory and having to deal with things you never thought you would have to deal with.

With this there is good news and bad news. But today I'm going to start with the good news first. Ok, small fib. It flows better if you get the bad news first. So the bad news is that you can't expect to get where you want to go without directions. You will get lost (in this case, getting lost has eternal implications of being in Hell...not my idea of a good day). You are NOT the exception. If you do not follow the directions you WILL get lost. It is sometimes so hard to grasp why we say we want to end up at a certain destination but we refuse to look at the road map and look up to see where we are. The reason? There is a disconnect. It has always been this way! Not just with our spiritual lives. Why is it that young women want to find the "perfect man for them" one that is "a strong Christian and a good leader" and all the other things a girl wants from a guy, but is then willing to go out with anybody that looks her way? disconnect. Why do we say we are going to take care of our bodies because they are the temple of God but then eat non-stop and have a sedentary lifestyle. disconnect.

However, there is good news. You have a GPS! The combination of community and fellowship with others is a vital part of your spiritual journey! Love God, Love People. It's as simple as that. You must love God: read His word, obey His statutes and have your heart in the position to know what His will is for you. You also must love people. For me, this is in the form of two hour lunch dates with a close friend, early morning Facebook chats with a co-worker, late night campus strolls with the boyfriend, and most importantly, my small group. This is our GPS. If we surround ourselves with people who can recognize the path we are on, they are able to tell us to turn around and mend our ways!

Which leads quite nicely into my second point. It is so dad-gum hard sometimes to see where we are and where we are going. I, for one, look at people around me and it is so obvious where they are going and where they are going to end up (this can be both good and bad mind you). It seems like they have it all figured out and I find myself getting frustrated because I have no idea where I am headed! It isn't hard to figure out where you are going....look at the lifestyle you lead. Where is the disconnect? Where is your accountability? TURN ON YOUR GPS! When you surround yourself with people that care about you, they will let you know when you are headed quite literally to Hell in a handbasket. And when you are submersed in God's word and your heart gets to the place where you only desire God's will, He will be shouting at you. They (your accountability and God) will be that annoying and persistent voice that echos through the car "make next legal U-turn."


"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."{Matthew 7:13-14}