“O Lord, point out the right road for me to follow.” Psalm 25:4 NLT
“Keeping one’s own counsel is woefully inadequate input to your life.”
My thoughts and comments today are about “following directions.”
You soon learn that life is best lived by following directions. The question is this: whose directions will you follow? A friend was recently described as “keeping his own counsel.” As I observed my friend, I found that he was not averse to listening to others. That is a good start. But after listening, he usually seems to follow his own course. He appears to prefer following his own directions, when the option is his to choose. That can get you into trouble, and very lost along the way. Keeping one’s own counsel is woefully inadequate input to your life. “Fools think they need no advice, but the wise listen to others.” Proverbs 12:15 NLT.
I was recently in a city less familiar to me, and often requiring directions. Need I say I frequently got a bit turned around and confused? I think I try to follow directions; though I will leave that for my wife and others to judge. Here’s the problem, for me at least. I don’t always get the directions straight. Turning right instead of left takes you off course and eventually late arriving or lost altogether. Once you make a wrong turn, even if sincerely done, nothing after that works out right. I think when I fail to follow directions, it is usually because I was hearing what was said but not listening as carefully as I should.
Navigating streets where you are unfamiliar is not impossible to correct when you make a wrong turn, if you realize it. Navigating the more serious choices of your life; that’s another thing altogether! Should I take the job with more money now or the opportunity with a better future? Should I marry this person or not? Is this the right business decision or is another better for me? Should I choose this career or the other? Can I trust God in this area of my life or trust myself? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were someone to give you the right directions to follow?
The Bible has your answer, “The steps of the Godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23 NLT/See Isaiah 58:11 NLT. The only question that remains is whether or not a person will follow God’s directions, or will choose to “keep their own counsel.” What a mistake that would be. God has given you the Bible with truth you can trust in every situation. Read Psalm 119:105 NIV. God has also given you the Holy Spirit “to guide you into all truth.” Read John 16:13-15 NLT.
The Psalmist David identified with your need, recognizing that he needed God to furnish trustworthy directions for his life. “Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my trust in You.” Psalm 25:4-5 NLT.
My prayer for you today is that you follow the directions of God and His Word