When it comes to life’s spiritual journey, a friend of mine once said that God will show us the distant mountain where He wants to take us … or He will show us the path that eventually leads to that mountain – but He very rarely shows us both at the same time.
And while that might sound a bit cryptic, what I think my friend was trying to get across is that seeking to follow God’s lead and fulfill the purposes He has for our lives is not nearly as simple and easy as just calling up Google Navigator and turning where and when your cell phone tells you too.
It takes the courage and persistence to keep plodding forward through all the fears, uncertainties, wrong turns, disappointments, dangers, and frustrations that are inevitably going to pop up here and there along the way.
And, right off the starting block, it takes a willingness to step out your front door and out of your comfort zone, as well as a genuine desire to live a life that’s pleasing to the One who made you.
But, circling back to what my friend said, I think God intentionally limits the information He gives out.
He may plant inside us a vision or drive or desire for something that’s central in His plan for our lives, but He may not tell us exactly how we go about getting there.
Or He may give us a nudge in a particular direction or steer our feet down a particular path, but He might not clue us in on where that road is ultimately leading.
And I think there are occasions when all He gives us is a conviction and realization that the road we’re currently on and the direction we’re going is not the right one.
As frustrating and even maddening as all those scenarios can feel, I suspect God does things that way in order to stir up faith and trust inside us – and to keep us well aware that we are utterly reliant on Him, day by day, moment by moment, breath by breath, for every single step along this journey.
And I believe it’s a journey He very much wants to share with us. And if we’re willing to walk with Him and go where He directs us to go and look to Him to supply the strength and courage we need, I believe He will see us through to that intersection where this road ends and a new journey begins.