GPS 4—Take the Path
I thought I was finished writing about GPS until God took me on this experience. I was on my way to our daughter’s home to help out with our grandson. She lives about two hours away, so I always use the GPS. This particular morning, I left the house at 4:00 a.m., hoping to get there around 6:00 a.m. She needed to leave for work by 6:30 a.m., so I wanted to ensure I had enough time in case of any slowdowns.
As I was driving, I was listening to a message, and in between the speaker, my GPS would chime in with directions. The GPS had given me the usual route, so I was only half listening. About thirty minutes into the drive, the GPS told me to take a different exit. I had taken this exit once before and remembered that I did not like it. Suddenly, I felt like I heard the Holy Spirit say, "Are you going to trust me?" So, I took the exit.
As I followed the GPS, I sensed that something was up. I felt like God was trying to teach me something, even though I was reluctant. I drove with purpose and intent, paying close attention because I did not know where I was going. It was dark, with no streetlights, and I was navigating a two-lane road with water on both sides. The pressure was intense. After about 45 minutes on this unfamiliar path, I realized I was lost. I had turned too soon onto one of the roads and was now in the middle of nowhere. I had been praying, but now I was intense in my conversation to God. When I got the opportunity to pull over, I stopped and called my husband.
We share our location with each other, so when he answered the phone, I was a bit panicked. I said, "I’m lost, and I don’t know where I am. Look at my location and tell me where to go." This, of course, made him really nervous. There were now two intense people on the phone—one scared and the other trying to help in a panic. My husband found my location and told me I was headed back home. I was shocked. He said, "Just put in the GPS for home and then start over when you reach the highway you're familiar with." I agreed but, upon seeing those directions, I realized they led to even darker roads. So I said, "No, just help me figure out how to get to our daughter’s house." I reset my GPS and continued down these back roads, which felt as if they hadn’t been paved in twenty years.
As I drove, I noticed the moon shining brightly, and the GPS continued giving me directions. What caught my attention was a road named "Poverty." That I had to turn onto to get to the next road. I said, "God, are you for real?" I knew this was a lesson, but I was nervous and a bit scared because it was dark, unfamiliar, and deserted.
Finally, I made it back onto the highway and into familiar territory, and the Holy Spirit began to speak. He said, "You could have stayed on the highway you knew—that would have been easier—but you wouldn’t have grown. Many people, when I call them to unfamiliar paths, refuse to come. You hesitated because familiarity is easy." He then reminded me how the moon was always there with me, just like His presence.
I asked Him, "Why did I have to drive down a road called Poverty?" He said, "Because that is a road everyone will travel at some point in their life—whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The path is part of the process. But if you keep moving forward with Me, that road will eventually come to an end." He then reminded me that, just as I could always see the moon, His presence was always with me, even on Poverty Road.
I thought about how I had called my husband instead of depending solely on God. I asked, "Did I fail when I called my husband?" He said, "Nope. You can always ask for help, but the journey is yours alone. Your husband wasn’t much help except to let you release some of your anxiety and fear. He couldn’t take the journey for you—you had to walk that path yourself." Every single person has a path that they have to walk on their own.
To my surprise, I arrived at my daughter’s house right at 6:30 a.m. I thought, "How did that happen with all the mistakes I made?" The Holy Spirit gently said, "I had already accounted for those mistakes. Just like in your journey of fulfilling your purpose, I have already considered your missteps. So do not give up—you will reach your divine fulfillment if you do not quit. It is guaranteed, and you will be right on time."
Key points:
Your journey requires courage, and you must be willing to embrace the unfamiliar.
God will always be with you, even when you feel fear—false evidence appearing real.
Stay the course, and you will reap the rewards if you do not give up.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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